For the second time this year, a lunar eclipse will be visible across the United States.
Unlike the recent total solar eclipse in Spain, Iceland, Greenland and Siberia, the lunar eclipse will be completely visible to stargazers in all 50 states and beyond.
According to TimeandDate, almost 1 billion people across the globe will be treated to the entire eclipse from beginning to end. Then, about 44% of the world’s population, or about 3 billion people, will be able to see at least some of the eclipse.
“We’ll be on the night side of the Earth when it happens and be able to see it,” astronomer Catherine Pilachowski, professor and Kirkwood Chair in astronomy at Indiana University Bloomington, explains to TODAY.com.
NASA classifies this lunation as a “deep partial lunar eclipse,” rather than a total eclipse. Pilachowski explains that 96% of the moon passes through the Earth’s shadow, but about 4% will still get direct sunlight.
Here’s what to know.
What Will the Lunar Eclipse Look Like?
Nicknamed “blood moons,” lunar eclipses are marked by their distinct hue. According to NASA, the moon will look “dramatically darkened, with a rusty, coppery tint along the covered edge” during the lunar eclipse.
The reddish haze is a byproduct of the Earth’s atmosphere.
Lunar eclipses happen when the sun, Earth and moon align perfectly. During this time, the moon passes through the Earth’s shadow, and the Earth blocks the sun’s light.
“If the Earth had no atmosphere, the moon would pass into complete darkness. Fortunately for us, Earth does have an atmosphere and that atmosphere scatters a bit of sunlight toward the moon. That is the light that allows us to see the moon during a total lunar eclipse,” Pilachowski says.
What Time Is the Lunar Eclipse?
The lunar eclipse will unfold over a few hours starting on Thursday, Aug. 27, as the moon moves into the Earth’s shadow into the early morning of Aug. 28.
The moon will enter Earth’s shadow starting at 9:23 p.m. ET on Aug. 27, per Space.com. The partial eclipse will begin at 10:33 p.m. ET.
Everyone on earth will see the darkest part of the eclipse at the same time, Pilachowski says.
- For people in the eastern time zone, the eclipse will be darkest at 12:12 a.m. ET.
- For people in the central time zone, the eclipse will be darkest at 11:12 p.m. CT.
- For people in the mountain time zone, the eclipse will be darkest at 10:12 p.m. MT.
- For people in the western time zone, the eclipse will be darkest at 9:12 p.m. PT.
The partial eclipse ends just before 2 a.m. ET on Aug. 28, and the entire spectacle will be complete at 3 a.m. ET.
Do You Need Special Glasses to View a Lunar Eclipse?
No glasses are needed.
“All you’ll need to see this lunar eclipse is clear weather — no eye protection needed. Just find the moon in the night sky and enjoy,” Pilachowski says.
