Contact: Georgia Clarke

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Golden Triangle residents and others interested in having a telescopic view of a rare total lunar eclipse are invited Sunday night [Sept. 27] to Mississippi State’s Howell Observatory.

Organized by the university’s physics and astronomy department, the free event takes place 8-10 p.m. on grounds of the Leveck Animal Research Center, usually referred to as the South Farm. Rain or heavily overcast skies will cancel the viewing.

The eclipse is scheduled to reach its midpoint at 9:47 p.m.

During the eclipse, the sun, Earth and moon will align and cause Earth’s shadow to block the sun’s light that normally reflects off the moon. Sunday’s coincidental supermoon should further enhance to the heavenly display.

The last supermoon eclipse combination took place more than 30 years ago; the next will be in 2033.

To reach the observatory, turn south off Blackjack Road at the Stone Boulevard intersection, which is just east of MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Then, travel on Stone Boulevard Extended for two miles and follow signs to site.

For more information, contact assistant professor of astronomy Angelle Tanner at 662-325-4112 or at876@msstate.edu.

Learn more about MSU's physics and astronomy department at http://physics.msstate.edu.