Keep Your Eyes On The Skies! Triple Treat Of Eclipse, Comet And Full Moon On Friday

Stargazers and skywatchers in the U.S. have a special treat lined up for them this Friday. A triple combo of lunar eclipse, full moon and comet will occur on the same day.

According to the Old Farmer's almanac, the full moon that will appear on Friday is also referred to as a "snow moon" due to the heavy snow that is usually common for February. The full snow moon will be at its fullest around 7:33 p.m. on Friday.

By the time, the full moon is at its fullest, a lunar eclipse will be underway. Friday will see a penumbral lunar eclipse that occurs when the Earth, Sun and Moon align in the center, and subsequently, the rare alignment cast's Earth's shadow on the Moon.

Viewers in the Northeast region of the U.S. will be able to experience the full duration of the lunar eclipse from start to finish, according to Sky and Telescope. However, the clarity of the celestial event depends on the cloud cover. The eclipse will start at around 7:44 p.m. EST and will end at 9:55 p.m. Experts have said that the lunar eclipse will be slightly dimming.

In addition to the full moon and lunar eclipse, skywatchers will also be able to see the comet 45P, also known by the name New Year comet, which will skip by planet Earth at a distance of about 8 million miles. The comet will be mostly visible around 4 a.m. on Saturday morning. Those who want to catch a glimpse of the comet should look east starting at 3 a.m. and keep their eyes focused for a bright blue-green head with a tail. The comet could be visible for a couple of days and it will be best to keep a lookout for it with a pair of binoculars, if there is no access to a telescope.