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The Moon Is Going to Look Insane on September 27

The one time the Moon might actually look like a big pizza pie.

Skywatchers have been treated to a lot of spectacular celestial shows this year, from a total solar eclipse to an unusually radiant Perseids shower.

But on the night of September 27, a rare astronomical event known as a Supermoon Lunar Eclipse is set to overshadow them all. This confluence of a total lunar eclipse with a supermoon—like the one that graced the skies this past weekend—only occurs about once every few decades. According to this handy NASA explainer, the last one appeared in 1982.

Not only will the Moon appear about 14 percent larger than normal, it will also be tinted a spooky red color as it passes through our planet's shadow. It will definitely be the kind of sight that might have prompted Medieval astrologers to warn of pestilence or the death of kings back in the day. In reality, however, it's just the Moon catching some shade while it takes its closest swing around the Earth.

The supermoon should be visible long before sundown on September 27, but the eclipse itself will begin at 9:07 PM Eastern time, reaching total occultation at 10:11 PM. It's a short window to catch an incredibly unique event, and you won't have another chance to see one until 2032. So take advantage of this rare opportunity to say that when the Moon hit your eye, it actually did kind of look like a big pizza pie.