Ozarkers will be able to see a nearly complete lunar eclipse this week, with 96.3% of the moon in the Earth's shadow.
This is the second lunar eclipse this year, which are more common than solar eclipses. Here's what to know about the weather, when the eclipse is at its height, and more.
Will we be able to see the eclipse?
According to the National Weather Service in Springfield, the area will have mostly clear skies on Aug. 27, the night that the Ozarks will see the partial lunar eclipse.
For best viewing, people should be in a dark environment away from city lights.
When does the eclipse start?
Starting around 8:30 p.m. local time, "the umbra's dramatic effect is easily visible as it takes an increasingly large bite out of the disk of the full moon," according to NASA. The umbra is the central part of the shadow
where the Sun is completely blocked by the Earth.
The moment of the greatest eclipse will be at 11:13 p.m. on Aug. 27.
Do I need any special equipment?
Unlike the April 2024 total solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse is safe to view without any special equipment. You can enhance your viewing experience with binoculars or a telescope, according to NASA.
What is a lunar eclipse?
A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes into Earth's shadow while it aligns with Earth and the sun.
A partial lunar eclipse happens when the moon is imperfectly covered by Earth's shadow, such as this one.
Since sunlight is mostly blocked, the moon will be dimmer than usual. The effect also turns the moon a reddish-orange hue and because of the color change, lunar eclipses are often called "blood moons."
When is the next lunar eclipse?
There will be two penumbral lunar eclipses visible in the Ozarks in 2027, during which the moon will only dim a little bit and the effect won't be as dramatic as a partial eclipse.
There will be partial lunar eclipse visible in the Ozarks on Jan. 12, 2028. In 2029, the Ozarks will see two total lunar eclipses, according to the website Time and Date: June 26 and Dec. 20.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: How to see this week's partial lunar eclipse in the Ozarks
