What kind of eclipse is happening tonight

The eclipse will peak at a. The entire event will last about six hours. Throughout history, eclipses have inspired awe and even fear, especially when total lunar eclipses turned the moon blood-red, an effect that terrified people who had no understanding of what causes an eclipse and therefore blamed the events on this god or that. Below, you'll find the science and history of lunar eclipses, learn how they work, and see a list of the next ones on tap.

See also our guide to solar eclipses. The next total lunar eclipse, or "blood moon," will occur May , and it will be visible from North and South America, Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia. Another total lunar eclipse will follow on Nov. Those will be the only two lunar eclipses in NASA keeps a list predicting lunar eclipses until They also keep data about past lunar eclipses. During the 21st century, Earth will experience a total of lunar eclipses, according to the space agency.

The entire partial and total phases of this Blood Moon total lunar eclipse will be visible Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia. This is the first of only two lunar eclipses in Although the moon won't technically pass entirely through the deepest part of Earth's shadow, or umbra, most of the lunar face will turn a vivid reddish-color. All 50 states will be able to catch the eclipse in its entirety, which peaks at a.

This will be the second and final lunar eclipse of A lunar eclipse can occur only at full moon. A total lunar eclipse can happen only when the sun, Earth and moon are perfectly lined up — anything less than perfection creates a partial lunar eclipse or no eclipse at all. Some understanding of simple celestial mechanics explains how lunar eclipses work. Related: How lunar eclipses work infographic.

Because the moon's orbit around Earth lies in a slightly different plane than Earth's orbit around the sun, perfect alignment for an eclipse doesn't occur at every full moon.

A total lunar eclipse develops over time, typically a couple hours for the whole event. Here's how it works: Earth casts two shadows that fall on the moon during a lunar eclipse: The umbra is a full, dark shadow. The penumbra is a partial outer shadow. The moon passes through these shadows in stages. Skip to main content.

You are here Astronomy. What Is an Eclipse? The two types of eclipses that we witness here on Earth are solar eclipses and lunar eclipses: A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly in front of the Sun, partially or entirely blocking out its light.

Solar eclipses are visible only in certain areas and require eye protection to be viewed safely. A lunar eclipse occurs when the full Moon enters the shadow of Earth, which cuts off all or part of the sunlight reflected off the Moon. Learn more about lunar terminology. There are a few different ways for lunar and solar eclipses to happen: A total eclipse of either the Moon or the Sun occurs when the Moon or Sun is entirely blocked out. During a total lunar eclipse , the Moon is completely obscured by the dark center of Earth's shadow called the umbra , giving the Moon a dark, reddish hue.

During a total solar eclipse , the Sun is completely obscured by the Moon, resulting in a brief period of awe-inspiring darkness. A partial eclipse of either the Moon or the Sun occurs when only part of the Moon or Sun is obscured. An annular eclipse is a type of solar eclipse. Annular eclipses are similar to total solar eclipses where the Sun is completely obscured by the Moon , but in an annular eclipse, the Moon's apparent size is smaller than the Sun's, meaning that the Sun is not completely obscured.

This results in a very bright ring of light called an annulus. A penumbral eclipse is a type of lunar eclipse. Penumbral eclipses occur when the Moon enters only the faint outer edge of Earth's shadow called the penumbra , which causes the Moon to appear slightly darker than usual.

The effect is so slight that a penumbral eclipse can be hard to recognize unless you know to look for it! There is also a phenomenon called a transit, which is similar to an eclipse, though not quite as visually stunning: A transit occurs when one celestial body passes between a larger celestial body and a third celestial body. For example, when Mercury passes between the Sun and the Earth, this is called a transit of Mercury.

Because Earth is the third planet from the Sun, we are able to observe transits of both Mercury and Venus. The total eclipse will be visible in Australia, the western continental U. You can find out when, and if, the lunar eclipse will be visible in your location with this eclipse calculator.

After that, there will be a partial lunar eclipse on November 19, , also visible in the U. If you happen to be traveling in one of the parts of the world where the total eclipse is happening in May , then you're in for a treat, because you'll have plenty of time for good viewing. The total lunar eclipse spans from UTC, but there are penumbral and partial eclipses preceding and following the totality. Basically, if you happen to be in the area or can find a video of the eclipse online, you'll have a full four hours to see it.

In order to see the lunar eclipse, just like a solar eclipse, you have to be in a part of the world where the eclipse is visible. Just keep in mind that, because of the type of eclipse that this is, you won't be able to see as much. But it should still be quite a sight.

You likely remember the hoopla over the special protective glasses that we had to wear during the last major solar eclipse in the U. A lunar eclipse can be safely viewed with the naked eye, according to NBC News. The only special equipment you might need is binoculars or a telescope, but that's if you want very close viewing. Basically, as long as you're in the right place at the right time, you can just look up at the clear night sky and see the next lunar eclipse happening on May 26, Your Best Life.

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