Sit back and enjoy a total lunar eclipse

Every once in a while Earth will slide between the Sun and moon and we here on Earth experience what is known as a total lunar eclipse -- that is where the shadow of Earth not only crosses the face of the moon, but totally engulfs it.

We almost had one on the Aug. 29, full moon, but the moon missed Earth's shadow just a little less than a moon's width. However, that will not be the case with the September full moon on Sunday, Sept. 27, when Earth will pass through the lower half of Earth's shadow.

This will produce a total lunar eclipse and the best seats in the house are in North and South American, but more about that later.

The term Supermoon -- like the Mars Hoax of August -- seems to hold the promise of something that it cannot produce.

The moon will also be at perigee (the closest point to Earth in its orbit, in this case for the entire year), but that does not mean it will appear appreciably larger--excepting for the optical illusion of a rising full moon looking big.

Another term that has become attached to this full moon is the term "Blood Moon" which has nothing at all to do with astronomy. It is a term that was created by one particular author to sell books and to give rise to yet another conspiracy theory.

So, why don't we just sit back and enjoy the prospect of a beautiful, total lunar eclipse?

In the early evening hours of Sunday, Sept. 27, Earth, the moon, and the Sun all line up in just the right place at the right time so what the moon will be plunged into the darkest part of Earth's shadow -- the Umbra.

At about 7:07 p.m. MDT (shortly after moonrise) a curved shadow will intrude on the lower left side (as we are looking at it) almost like a giant version of the Cookie Monster from Sesame Street is taking a bite out of the side of the moon.

The shadow will proceed to cross and completely cover the lunar face.

At about 8:13 p.m. MDT the moon will be completely in Earth's shadow and it will take on a ruddy, slightly reddish hue, almost a copper color.

This coloration is the result of all the sunsets and sunrises from around all of Earth's horizons leaking around the edge and falling on the moon, and we all know what red sunrises and sunsets look like.

The moon will stay in the Umbra until about 9:23 p.m. MDT when a slender crescent of light appears on the side where the shadow started.

It will continue to grow until the moon is totally lit once more.

Basically, once totality is reached it is just the same process, only in reverse, and the whole shebang will be over by about 10:27 p.m. MDT.

One thing rather humorous about this particular lunar eclipse, the Sept. 27 full moon is the Harvest Moon where farmers were supposed to have extra light from the full moon to continue to harvest their crops. Well, not this time.

SKY WATCH: Full moon, Sunday, September 27, with total lunar eclipse.

NEXT WEEK: Four planets in the early morning and more astronomical blathering.