Double feature: Supermoon, lunar eclipse brighten Central Florida skies

ORLANDO, Fla. — Skygazers looked up in awe as the second supermoon of the year -- as well as a lunar eclipse -- brightened the sky in Central Florida.

According to NASA, the supermoon was visible across the entire United States.

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NASA says a ‘supermoon’ is when a full moon coincides with the closest point in the moon’s orbit, making it appear larger and brighter than normal.

Those east of the Mississippi saw a partial eclipse, including here in Florida.

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Channel 9 photojournalist Kenny Gibson caught a time lapse of the moon in Leesburg. Watch it below:

The best time to see the eclipse with the naked eye was around 5:45 a.m. Wednesday, according to NASA.

NASA scientists also say certain sky watchers were able to catch a glimpse of a “super blood moon,” when the moon appeared red for approximately fifteen minutes.

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WFTV talked to NASA expert Andrea Jones about why tonight’s moon is so special and the ongoing effort to return humans to the moon.

Supermoon to coincide with lunar eclipse (Jamie Holmes, WFTV.com/WFTV)

Click here to watch her interview. See photos of past supermoons below:

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