Here’s where to watch the rare supermoon, lunar eclipse

For the first time since 1982, a total lunar eclipse shares the stage with a so-called supermoon Sunday night.

Want to watch it with others? Discovery Place in uptown Charlotte and Town Creek Indian Mound State Historic Site in Mount Gilead are among the places hosting events.

A supermoon happens when a full or new moon makes its closest approach to Earth. The moon will look bigger and brighter than usual.

The full eclipse of the moon will last more than an hour. At 10:11 p.m., the moon, Earth and sun will line up, with the Earth’s shadow totally obscuring the moon. Both won’t happen at the same time again until 2033. There won’t be another total lunar eclipse until 2018.

“During a total lunar eclipse, the illuminated face of the moon will gradually become darker until it is completely in the Earth’s shadow and takes on a coppery glow,” Town Creek historic site manager Rich Thompson said in a news release.

The Discovery Place event takes place 8:30-11 p.m. Sunday on the third level of the Discovery Place parking deck at Sixth and Church streets.

Participants will learn about the cosmic phenomenon with Discovery Place educators and members of the Charlotte Amateur Astronomy Club.

The event and parking are free. Park on the second floor; telescopes will be on the third floor of the deck. (The event will be canceled if it is raining or skies are completely overcast.)

The event at Town Creek historic site, 509 Town Creek Mound Road, Mount Gilead, is 7-11 p.m. It’s free with donations welcome. Register at 910-439-6802 or towncreek@ncdcr.gov.

Town Creek is about a 90-minute drive from uptown Charlotte.

The Associated Press contributed.

This story was originally published September 24, 2015 at 12:50 PM with the headline "Here’s where to watch the rare supermoon, lunar eclipse."