Stargazing
See a total lunar eclipse on Sunday
Stargazers in North and South America will be treated to a truly inspiring celestial happening on Sunday evening — a total lunar eclipse.
At 10:33 p.m., the umbra of the shadow of Earth will begin to fall upon the face of the moon. This darkest part of the shadow will continue to spread across the moon until it is fully covered, or in totality, by 11:41 p.m. One might expect the moon to appear totally dark, but at this time, it will be a deep, dark red color, also known as a blood moon. The red comes from sunlight scattered by Earth’s atmosphere. From the perspective of the moon, the light is the result of every sunset and sunrise on Earth. At 12:43 a.m. the shadow will begin to slowly leave the face of the moon, and the sequence will run in reverse until the umbra is no longer visible, by 1:50 a.m.
This event can be viewed from any location where the moon is visible and does not require a telescope. Carnegie Science Center on the North Shore will host a special edition of its stargazing event, SkyWatch, to mark the occasion. Astronomy experts will kick off the evening with educational programming in Buhl Planetarium at 9 p.m. before heading outside to watch the eclipse using a variety of astronomical equipment.
Mark your calendar for this one, or you’ll have to wait until May 2022 to see another total lunar eclipse visible in eastern North America.