how to see the eclipse of the moon tonight

Unlike solar eclipses, it’s safe to view lunar eclipses with the naked eye.Īccording to NASA, the best viewing of the eclipse will be in Hawaii, Alaska and the western states.

A partial lunar eclipse will occur on Nov.

This is the first of only two lunar eclipses in 2021. The red color comes from sunlight filtering through Earth’s atmosphere as the moon passes through the planet’s shadow over several hours. It’s called a blood moon because of the reddish hue it takes on during the eclipse, according to NASA. May’s supermoon is distinctive because it’s also a “blood moon” due to the total lunar eclipse, which occurs when the Earth, positioned directly between the moon and sun, blocks the moon from sunlight. Then events unfold in reverse order until the moon returns to full brilliance.Dinosaur discoveries: What is a ‘Monkeydactyl’ and how many T-Rexes were on the planet? The moon gradually glides into Earth's shadow until most of the lunar disk turns from silvery gray to an eerie dim orange or red. 'Partial lunar eclipses might not be quite as spectacular as total lunar eclipses – where the moon is completely covered in Earth's shadow – but they occur more frequently,' NASA said.Ī lunar eclipse happens when the sun, Earth and a full moon form a near-perfect lineup in space in what is known as syzygy, the American Astronomical Society said. Sign up for the only evening news roundup you’ll ever need. How to watch: The longest partial lunar eclipse of this century is coming All you need is to wake up and get out there, with a coat to keep warm for the chilly November night. Friday.Īnd you don't need any special glasses to see it, unlike during a solar eclipse. For observers on the West Coast, it begins just after 11 p.m. Friday and reaches its maximum at 4 in the morning. The longest partial lunar eclipse in nearly 600 years will grace the night sky late Thursday night and early Friday across the entire country, weather permitting.Īccording to NASA, the eclipse will last three hours and 28 minutes, the longest partial eclipse of this century and the longest in 580 years.įor East Coast observers, the partial eclipse begins a little after 2 a.m.

A lunar eclipse happens when the sun, Earth, and a full moon form a near-perfect lineup in space.

You don't need any special glasses to see it, unlike during a solar eclipse.

According to NASA, the eclipse will be three hours and 28 minutes long.

How to see the eclipse of the moon tonight