When to view tonight’s Lunar Eclipse

In case you’re going to be up late tonight, you might want to take a chance to look up at the Moon as it will be turning colors, to red! Tonight will be a rare moment to witness a total lunar eclipse. While not as rare as a solar eclipse, it is still not something you see often.

Tonight, starting at 2:26 A.M. ET (11:26 P.M. PT), the Moon will be totally blocked by the Earth’s shadow, giving it a large red tint across its surface. This will be visible across all of Canada, the United States, Mexico, and South America as long as weather conditions are right.

Here is a list of times for certain key events for tonight’s Lunar Eclipse:

• Penumbral eclipse begins – 11:57 P.M. ET (8:57 P.M. PT)
• Partial eclipse begins – 1:09 A.M. ET (10:09 P.M. PT)
• Totality begins – 2:26 A.M. ET (11:26 P.M. PT)
• Totality ends – 3:31 A.M. ET (12:31 A.M. PT)
• Partial eclipse ends – 4:47 A.M. ET (1:47 A.M. PT)
• Penumbral eclipse ends – 6:00 A.M. ET (3:00 A.M. PT)

What is a lunar eclipse?

A lunar eclipse is when the Moon passes through the Earth’s shadow, blocking it from receiving any light from the Sun. Instead, the only light that is reflected off the Moon is the darker reds that are refracted through the Earth’s atmosphere.

Advertisement - scroll for more content

NASA explains it simply: “It’s as if all the world’s sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the Moon.” How romantic.

How is a lunar eclipse different than a solar eclipse?

In a solar eclipse, the Moon passes in front of the Sun, blocking its view when viewed from Earth. This is usually fairly quick as the Moon’s shadow on Earth’s surface is small. So while it may happen as often as a lunar eclipse, it is much rarer for it to take place over land, especially a populated part of land. A solar eclipse also only takes place during the day (as you need the Sun to be visible) and usually requires protective glasses or filters to be used to stop onlookers from damaging their eyes.

A lunar eclipse takes place during the night and does not require any protective glasses as it’s not as bright. When the Sun, Earth, and Moon are lined up, the Moon passes through what is called the “umbra” or Earth’s shadow. This is when the Moon turns red. Given that the Earth’s shadow is quite large, this can last for over an hour! So, there’s no rush getting outside to view it.

So think of it like this: A solar eclipse is the Moon casting a shadow on Earth, while a lunar eclipse is Earth casting a shadow on the Moon. What’s different is what we see.

What do I need to view a lunar eclipse?

While you don’t need anything special, as it can be viewed by the naked eye, a pair of binoculars or a small telescope can be useful for getting a closer view.

Even a camera with a telephoto lens would be a benefit over your naked eye.

Check your weather before staying up

Just like a solar eclipse, local weather will play a key role in whether or not you’ll be able to see the eclipse happen. Mostly, it will be how much cloud cover is in your area. While you definitely don’t want a high percentage of cloud cover, you don’t need 0% either. Given you have an hour, clouds could come and go during the eclipse, and you’ll still get a great view!