Last total lunar eclipse for three years arrives Tuesday
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - Some non-election related content for you, the last lunar eclipse for three years will occur early Tuesday morning, according to NASA.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, Earth, and moon align, leaving the moon in the Earth's shadow.
Known as a blood moon, it will appear a reddish-orange from the light of Earth's sunsets and sunrises. At the peak of the eclipse, the moon will be 242,740 miles (390,653 kilometers) away, according to NASA scientists. Binoculars and telescopes will enhance viewing, provided the skies are clear.
The total lunar eclipse will be visible throughout North America in the predawn hours — the farther west, the better — and across Asia, Australia and the rest of the Pacific after sunset. As an extra treat, Uranus will be visible just a finger's width above the moon, resembling a bright star.
The initial phase of the eclipse begins at 3:02 a.m. EST, according to NASA. The partial eclipse then begins at 4:09 a.m. EST. Totality will last about an hour and a half from 5:17 a.m. to 6:42 a.m. EST.
After Tuesday's eclipse, the next total lunar eclipse will not occur again until March 14, 2025, according to NASA. Plenty of partial lunar eclipses will be available in the meantime.