The first full moon of 2021 rises this week.
The January full moon, known as the wolf moon, will reach its full phase at 2:16 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 28. We won’t see it until it rises at 5:07 p.m. (and even then, Lehigh Valley weather forecasts call for mostly cloudy skies), but it may peak through the clouds until setting at 8:07 a.m. Friday.
Eleven more full moons will follow this year, including three supermoons in a row, one blue moon and a few eclipses to behold.
2021 supermoons
Spring 2021 will see at least a few supermoons in succession. Some outlets say there will be two supermoons in April and May. Others include the March or April full moons, as well.
The definition of a supermoon is inexact, but generally, it is a full moon that happens when the moon is at or near its orbit’s closest point to Earth. The moon on those nights will appear slightly larger and brighter than other full moons, though the difference is only slight to casual observers.
A supermoon rises over Phillipsburg, New Jersey, as 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 will see a blue moon Aug. 22, at least by one definition. This is a seasonal blue moon, the third of four full moons in one season.
That’s different from the 2020 Halloween blue moon, which was the second full moon in one month. Both definitions are based on timing – the moon does not actually appear blue in either case.
A nearly full supermoon rises over Route 22 in Bethlehem on April 6, 2020. There will be a seasonal blue moon in August 2021.Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com
2021 lunar eclipses
Our area has a chance at catching parts of two lunar eclipses in 2021.
First, a total lunar eclipse will happen the morning of May 26, when the moon will pass through the Earth’s shadow, giving it a red hue. Since it is also a supermoon, some may refer to the May full moon as a super blood moon. Only the beginning of this eclipse will be visible in the eastern U.S. in the early morning hours.
There also will be a partial lunar eclipse for the November 2021 full moon. All but a sliver of the moon will pass through the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, so it may again appear red. It will all happen in the early hours of Nov. 19.
Sophia Nelson, 4, of Allentown, watches a solar eclipse Aug. 21, 2017, at Da Vinci Science Center as her mother, Simone, holds her eclipse glasses in place. Part of a solar eclipse may be visible to the Lehigh Valley on June 10, 2021.Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com
2021 solar eclipse
Like the lunar eclipses, our area has a chance at seeing part of a solar eclipse. A solar eclipse is when the moon appears to pass in front of the sun. Special glasses or equipment are required to safely see one.
Early on the morning of June 10, the moon will block about three-quarters of the sun’s face as it rises and last here about an hour. The main path of the eclipse crosses Canada and the Arctic.
2021 full moon names and dates
Each of the common full moon names come from Native American traditions and other sources. They refer to the weather, wildlife or season at the time, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Here are the dates and times for each.
(Can’t see the calendar? Click here.)
2021 meteor shower calendar
If you’re watching the sky, you’ll want to keep an eye out for meteor showers. These predictable events happen when the Earth passes through streams of debris from comets and other objects.
Some showers are stronger, some are weaker and occasionally some surprise us with big outbursts of activity. Generally, meteor showers are best observed in the early morning hours in a place away from city lights, where you can lean back for an hour or more with a wide view of the sky. Viewing is also dependent on weather and the brightness of the moon.
The meteor shower calendar below is based off information from the American Meteor Society.
(Can’t see the calendar? Click here.)
NOTE: The incorrect day of the week for the wolf moon was included in an earlier version of this story. The listed days are correct.
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Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com.
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