August's partial lunar eclipse is set to light up the night sky Thursday night and is predicted to continue into early Friday morning.
August's partial lunar eclipse will begin on Thursday, Aug. 27, at around 9:23 p.m. ET and last over five hours, according to Time and Date. But to catch the eclipse at its peak, folks on the East Coast will have to stay up until past midnight, and anyone wanting to catch the whole show will have to stay up until 3 a.m. ET.
But this is an interstellar show worth staying up for.
While the eclipse is only partial, meaning only part of the moon will be covered by Earth's shadow, it's called an "almost blood moon" because a whopping 96% of the moon will be eclipsed.
"It's a nice show, and it's free," Nico Cappelluti,
an associate professor in astrophysics and cosmology at the University of Miami, told USA TODAY.
Here's what to know about the times for the partial lunar eclipse.
When does the lunar eclipse begin?
The partial lunar eclipse will begin on Thursday, Aug. 27, at 9:23 p.m. ET, according to Time and Date. It will end at around 3 a.m., but will reach its peak at midnight.
Lunar eclipse schedule
Here's when the stages of the eclipse are estimated to begin between Aug. 27 and Aug. 28, per Time and Date:
- Penumbral phase begins, 9:23 p.m. ET - At this stage, the moon will dim slightly, but it can be difficult to notice any changes, according to NASA. This stage begins when the moon enters the faint edges of Earth's shadow, called the penumbra.
- Partial eclipse phase begins, 10:33 p.m. ET - The Earth's shadow will become more noticeable as it creeps across the face of the moon.
- Maximum eclipse begins,12:12 a.m. ET - This is when the eclipse peaks, with 96% of the moon covered. Since this is only a partial eclipse, the eclipse will not reach totality, and a sliver of the moon will still be visible. But the moon may appear red-orange, resembling a blood moon.
- Partial eclipse phase ends, 1:51 a.m. ET - The Earth's shadow will no longer be noticeable on the face of the moon.
- Penumbral phase ends, 3:01 a.m. ET - The eclipse has concluded, and the moon no longer sits in Earth's shadow as our planet moves away from the area between the Earth and the moon.
Is this partial lunar eclipse a blood moon?
No, which is why it's sometimes called an "almost blood moon". A blood moon occurs during a total lunar eclipse, when the moon appears reddish-orange.
This happens because of the way different colors of light travel, according to NASA. The sunlight that Earth doesn't block from reaching the moon will appear red because the light is filtered through Earth's thick atmosphere as it travels to the moon's surface, and filters out light of different colors.
The moon may appear blood-red when the eclipse reaches its peak at around 12:12 a.m. ET.
Most of the US will be able to see all or part of the eclipse
Unlike the solar eclipse that occurred earlier in the month, the entire United States will be able to see all or part of the partial lunar eclipse.
All of North America will be able to see part or all of the lunar eclipse, according to NASA. The East Coast and parts of the Midwest will see the full eclipse from start to finish, while Alaska and the West Coast will see it only after it has already begun.
The eclipse will also be visible in the Southern Hemisphere, and all of South America will see the full eclipse.
Tips for seeing the partial lunar eclipse
The lunar eclipse is visible to the naked eye, and observers will not require any visual aids, such as telescopes or binoculars, to view it, according to Cappelluti. Your phone can also be used to capture pictures of the eclipse.
"Even the zoom of your iPhone can give you very nice pictures," Cappelluti said.
Those who plan to stay up at night to watch the eclipse and want the optimal experience should do the following:
- Check the weather and cloud cover in your area to ensure conditions are optimal for viewing the celestial events.
- Find a dark location away from light pollution.
- Give your eyes 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the dark.
- Avoid looking at phones or bright lights.
To be as comfortable as possible, dress appropriately for the weather, use bug spray and bring a blanket, a sleeping bag or a reclining chair to lie on.
While following the steps listed above might give you a better view of the night sky, it isn't required to move away from light pollution to get a better view of the eclipse like you would for other celestial events, like meteor showers. As long as you have a clear view of the sky, where buildings and clouds won't block your sight of the moon, you should be able to watch the eclipse from anywhere in the country.
Julia Gomez is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers space phenomena, scientific studies and natural disasters. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What time is the lunar eclipse? When to see the 'almost blood moon'
