The first full moon of 2021 rises this week.
The full moon in January, known as the wolf moon, will reach its full phase on Thursday 28 January at 14:16. We will first see it rise at 17:07 (and even then again in Lehigh Valley ask for mostly cloudy skies), but it may peak through the clouds until it sails at 08:07 on Friday.
Eleven more full moons will follow this year, including three super moons in a row, one blue moon and a few eclipses to behold.
2021 supermoons
In the spring of 2021, there will be at least a few supermoons in a row. Some stores say there will be two super mouths in April and May. Others also include the full moons in March or April.
The definition of a supermoon is inaccurate, but in general it is a full moon that occurs when the moon is at or near its orbit’s closest point to Earth. The moon will look slightly larger and brighter on those nights than other full moons, although the casual observers only have a difference.
A supermoon is rising over Phillipsburg, New Jersey, seen from Easton, Pennsylvania, on March 9, 2020. There will be two to four supermoons in 2021, based on how strictly the definition is applied.Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com
2021 blue moon
This year there will be a blue moon on August 22, at least according to one definition. It is a seasonal blue moon, the third of four full moons in one season.
This is different from the Halloween blue moon in 2020, which was the second full moon in one month. Both definitions are based on timing – in no case does the moon actually look blue.
An almost full supermoon rises on April 6, 2020 over Route 22 in Bethlehem. There will be a seasonal blue moon in August 2021.Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com
2021 lunar eclipses
Our area has the chance to capture parts of two lunar eclipses in 2021.
First, a total lunar eclipse will occur on the morning of May 26, when the moon passes through the Earth’s shadow and gives it a red tint. Since it is also a supermoon, some may refer to the full moon in May as a superblood. Only the beginning of this eclipse will be visible in the early morning hours in the eastern USA.
There will also be a partial lunar eclipse for the full moon in November 2021. All the splinter of the moon, except a slice of the moon, will pass through the darkest part of the earth’s shadow, so that it may appear red again. It will all happen in the early morning hours of November 19th.
Sophia Nelson (4), from Allentown, watches a solar eclipse on August 21, 2017 at the Da Vinci Science Center while her mother, Simone, holds her eclipse glasses in place. A portion of a solar eclipse may be visible in the Lehigh Valley on June 10, 2021.Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com
2021 solar eclipse
Just like the lunar eclipses, our area has a chance to see part of a solar eclipse. A solar eclipse is when the moon appears to be passing in front of the sun. Special glasses or equipment are needed to see one safely.
Early in the morning of June 10, the moon will block about three-quarters of the sun’s face as it rises and lasts about an hour here. The highway of the eclipse crosses Canada and the North Pole.
2021 full moon names and dates
Each of the common full moon names comes from Native American traditions and other sources. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac at the time, it was referring to the weather, wildlife or the season. Here are the dates and times for each.
(Can’t see the calendar? Click here.)
2021 calendar for meteor showers
When looking at the sky, watch out for meteoric showers. These predictable events occur when the earth passes through streams of debris from comets and other objects.
Some moods are stronger, others weaker and sometimes we surprise ourselves with big bursts of activity. In general, meteor showers can best be observed in the early morning hours in a place away from city lights, where you can lean for an hour or longer with a wide view of the sky. Viewing also depends on the weather and the brightness of the moon.
The meteorite calendar below is based on information from the American Meteor Society.
(Can’t see the calendar? Click here.)
COMMENT: The wrong day of the week for the wolf moon was included in an earlier version of this story. The days listed are correct.
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Steve Novak can be reached at [email protected].