Come Friday, Feb. 10, stargazers are in for a treat as they will be able to watch three celestial events on the same night.
People who will look up at the sky on Friday night may see the snow moon, the New Year comet and an eclipse all at the same time.
Here's a look at when and how to watch the celestial events.
The Snow Moon
The snow moon is the name given to the full moon in February in the U.S as this month is historically known as the snowiest time of the year in the country. Some Native American tribes were known to call it hunger moon as hunting in February was very difficult due to the snow.
The snow moon will be visible throughout the night.
The Penumbral Eclipse
The penumbral eclipse occurs when the Earth passes in between the moon and sun, which causes a shadow to fall on the moon's surface. However, it is possible that many viewers may not notice a dramatic effect because astronomers state that in this case the moon would just appear slightly dimmer than usual, but would bear no other sign of the eclipse.
This is because the Earth would just block a portion of the sun's light from the moon and not the whole of it. However, the eclipse on the night of Feb. 10 is particularly rare as the Earth's shadow will fall on the whole moon and not just a part of it.
The eclipse will begin at 5:45 PM ET and end at 9:50 PM ET. The best viewing time is said to be 7:45 PM. ET. The eclipse will be visible from Europe, Africa, Western Asia and parts of North and South America.
The New Year Comet
The New Year Comet which is technically known as Comet 45P was first discovered by Moniru Honda in 1948. It can be seen every five and quarter years. It has been visible since December 2016 and is said to be at the closest distance of about 7.4 million miles from Earth since 2011.
If you want to see the comet, then at 3 AM ET (early hours of Feb. 11) look eastwards and find the Hercules constellation in the sky. A blue green head and fan shaped tail should be visible to you if the night sky is relatively pollution free. If possible keep a set of binoculars handy as it may be needed to view the comet more distinctly.
With all these cosmic events coming up, stargazers and astronomy enthusiasts will most be excited as it is rarely that such celestial phenomena occur.
Photo: Audrey | Flickr
