x
Breaking News
More () »

A total lunar eclipse will be visible Sunday night, here’s how you can see it

The Super Flower Blood Moon will appear red during the eclipse as the moon crosses the Earth’s shadow.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Stargazers are in for a treat this weekend, with a total lunar eclipse visible in the night sky Sunday night into Monday morning.

It’s called the Super Flower Blood Moon. 

"Super" because the moon will be closer to the Earth. "Flower" for all of the plants that bloom this time of year. And "blood" for the red tint the moon will have during the eclipse, according to Linda Powell, Planetarium Director for the State Museum of Pennsylvania.

“As the moon passes through the shadow of the Earth, one of the things that happens is a little bit of the sun’s light makes it through our atmosphere and around the Earth,” Powell tells FOX43. “And our atmosphere filters out the blue light, so basically just the red light from our atmosphere hits the surface of the moon turning it some shade, anywhere from a copper orange color to a really deep red color.” 

If you’re hoping to catch some of the eclipse, Powell says you have plenty of time to do so.

“It’s not until 11:29pm that it starts heading into the full shadow of the Earth. And you’ll have about an hour and 25 minutes from 11:30 to 12:50 to really see the full, total eclipse. So you have the whole night, it won’t be completely over until 3 am,” she says.

Credit: WPMT FOX43

When it comes to watching the eclipse, as long as the weather is good, it will be hard to miss. 

“Find your ideal location, whether it's in your backyard or on the top of your building or in some location, or have a beautiful, unobstructed view of the sky. You want to be clear of bright light or tall buildings around you, if you can, and just relax and enjoy the show,” says Dr. Noah Petro, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Project Scientist at NASA.

If you miss this eclipse, another lunar eclipse will occur on November 8th this year, however viewing conditions will be limited for our part of the world.

Download the FOX43 app here.

Before You Leave, Check This Out