Set an alarm and reminders to look at the sky for the rare chance to see a Blood Moon total lunar eclipse late Thursday night and early Friday morning.
It’s the only lunar eclipse visible from the U.S. this year and the first total lunar eclipse since November 2022.
All of the phases of the eclipse are expected to last around six hours.
North America and South America are expected to get the best views of the eclipse, but it will be visible across the Western Hemisphere.
Total lunar eclipse and Blood Moon
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth and Moon align so the moon passes into Earth’s shadow, according to NASA.
Total lunar eclipses occur when the Moon passes into the dark shadow of the Earth.
Lunar eclipses are sometimes called “Blood Moons” because the Moon will turn a reddish and copper hue, NASA said.
What time does the lunar eclipse start tonight?
The hours for when the lunar eclipse will be visible vary by time zone.
The initial phase of the eclipse, called the penumbral eclipse, begins at 11:57pm EDT and 8:57pm PDT Thursday, NASA said in its timeline.
The partial eclipse begins at 1:09am EDT Friday, which is 10:09pm PDT
Thursday, and as the Moon moves into the umbra “it looks like a bite is being taken out of the lunar disk.”
Totality begins at 2:26am EDT Friday or 11:26pm PDT Thursday. In totality, the Moon is “tinted a coppery red.”
What time does the total lunar eclipse end?
Totality ends at 3:31am EDT/12:31am PDT.
The partial eclipse ends when the Moon has set in 4:47am EDT or 1:47am PDT.
The penumbral eclipse ends when the Moon has set in 6am EDT or 3am PDT.
How to see the total lunar eclipse live
What we’re watching: Unlike a solar eclipse, anyone with a view of the Moon during a lunar eclipse will be able to see it as it occurs, NASA said. Special equipment isn’t needed to observe a lunar eclipse.
