Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova will make its closest pass around 3 a.m. tomorrow morning. (Photo by blob rana)
This evening’s sky will offer quite the spectacle with a full moon, lunar eclipse, and green-glowing comet.
The penumbral eclipse is taking place because the outer shadow of Earth will fall on the surface of tonight’s full moon, dubbed a “snow moon,” according to NASA. This will create a dark shadow on the moon that should be visible to the naked eye.
The eclipse will take place just over a four-hour span beginning around 5:34 p.m. The moon will become its darkest around 7:44 p.m., and the eclipse will end around 9:53 p.m.
Then, Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova is expected to “zoom past Earth at 51,000 mph”—making its closest pass around 3 a.m. tomorrow morning, according to Sky & Telescope Magazine. Skygazers who use binoculars or small telescopes should be able to catch the comet’s fly-by.
Meanwhile, Slooh, a public online observatory, will livestream the eclipse and the comet for all to see. The broadcast will also include commentary from experts.