From Thursday night until Friday morning, the Earth's shadow swallows the moon, turning the usual pearly orb into an impressive red sphere.
This is the first total lunar eclipse in over two years. Also known as Blood Moon, the event will be most visible in America, the western part of Africa and Europe, New Zealand and parts of Russia.
“It's a lovely sight to see in the night sky,” said Amanda Bosch, executive director of Lowell Observatory in Arizona.
“I love seeing the solar system, space at work,” she added.
What is a total lunar eclipse?
A solar eclipse occurs when the sun, the earth, and the moon are aligned in that order. There are many different types of solar eclipses that depend on whether the moon crosses deeper into the shadows of the Earth. The shadow of the earth, it is divided into the outer part, the semi-shaded, the umbrella, and the innermost section.
The total lunar eclipse when the entire moon slips into the Umbra is the most dramatic variety. The shadow of the earth envelops the moon's face, making its scar color shine. This happens because sunlight spills over the edge of the Earth, and the sunlight illuminating the moon must first pass through our atmosphere. The red wavelength passes and creates a blood moon effect.
According to Dr. Bosch, the exact shade of red during a lunar eclipse may vary. Clouds and recent natural disasters – leaving particles in the air, such as sand dunes and volcanic eruptions – can make the moon look even more crimson.
What is less visually apparent is the semi-talk solar eclipse as the moon breaks through the outer part of the Earth's shadow. This can be difficult to notice as the moon will be slightly darker.
When only a portion of the moon retreats to the innermost umbrella, it creates a partial solar eclipse.
When will this eclipse occur?
There are several phases of the total lunar eclipse. According to the US Navy Observatory, the event will take place on Thursdays and Fridays for approximately six hours.
The moon will begin sneaking into Earth's Penumbra around 11:56pm Eastern time on Thursday. At 1:09am on Friday, the moon enters the Umbra, during which the increased area of its surface becomes obscure from view. According to Dr. Bosch, the moon appears redder as the partial phase passes.
The whole occurs at 2:25am, when the entire moon is enveloped in the darkest part of the Earth's shadow, and lasts for more than an hour.
Then, as the moon shines from a stage where it continues until 4:48am, the surface of the moon begins to turn white again. The final leg of that journey will pass through Penumbra and end at 6:01am.
How can you see the solar eclipse?
Everyone on Earth's night has the opportunity to see the lunar eclipse, but the amount you can see depends on your location.
Skywatchers in the western half of North and South America can witness the entire event. But elsewhere, people may simply rise the moon in the sky or catch the environment in the sky.
This universe scene requires no special equipment. “It's going to look just like yours,” said Dylan Short, a telescope expert at Lowell Observatory. You can take decent photos on your phone or with a simple DSLR camera that uses a long focal length lens. Images of the moon can also be captured through the telescope's eyepiece.
Many cities host watch parties with local starry sky groups and planetariums. Another option is to view live broadcasts from Lunar Eclipse online.
Does the weather affect my viewing?
While winter storms are narrowing the barrel across the nation, forecasters say they're watching Skye viewers watch solar eclipses in several regions, including Florida, central and southern plains, west and south Texas, the Ohio Valley, parts of the Appalachian Mountains, and sand dunes to the southwest.
However, in other parts of the country, including the East and West Coasts, it may be more difficult to get a clear view.
If you see clouds in the sky during an eclipse, remember that the event will unfold for several hours. It may be worth seeing again later, especially if those clouds appear thin or moving.
When will the next solar eclipse occur?
Lunar eclipses can occur several times a year, but not all of them reach the whole. According to NASA, the next lunar eclipse occurs in September and is most visible in Asia and parts of Europe, Africa and Australia.
There will be another general lunar eclipse in March next year, followed by a partial lunar eclipse in late August.
Lunar eclipse also occurs in combination with the solar eclipse. On March 29th, the partial solar eclipse, a partner in the lunar eclipse, is seen in parts of North America and Europe.
Amy Graff contributed the report.
