Southern Illinois has witnessed several remarkable celestial events in 2024. The region experienced a total solar eclipse on April 8, followed by a harvest supermoon and partial lunar eclipse on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Volunteer photographer Kaleigh Duncan captured images of the event at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge.

According to The Weather Channel, September’s full moon is called the harvest moon because it traditionally marked the time for crop harvesting. It is also known as the corn moon, fruit moon, or barley moon and is celebrated by cultures around the world.

Tuesday night’s moon was also considered a supermoon, appearing larger and brighter than a typical full moon because it was at its closest point to Earth. This was the second of four consecutive supermoons in 2024.

In addition to the harvest supermoon, a partial lunar eclipse occurred when part of the moon entered Earth’s shadow. The eclipse covered about 8% of the moon, casting a visible dark shadow across its surface.

Photo by Kaleigh Duncan / The Volunteer