On Tuesday, April 15, there will be a total lunar eclipse that will turn the moon a coppery red, NASA says. It's called a blood moon, and it's one of four total eclipses that will take place in North America within the next year and a half. Pictured here is a blood moon seen over Gaza City in March 2007.
Tuesday will bring a spectacle in the night sky worth staying up for when the moon turns a burnt reddish orange.
The moon will begin to change color at about 1:58 a.m. ET Tuesday as it starts to slide into the Earth's shadow until it becomes a "blood moon" at 3:07 ET, NASA says. The best part of the show, the total eclipse portion, will last through 4:24 a.m. ET.
The height of the event will take place at 3:45 a.m. ET.
The big problem for potential viewers in the eastern United States will be the cloud cover, which is expected to hide the show from half of the country, save for cities on the coastline, which might be able to peek through.
But cities including Dallas, Denver and Los Angeles should have optimal viewing. NASA said the entire event can be viewed by people in the Americas, while observers in the western Pacific will catch the second half of the event.
I don't think I've ever seen the moon so big.
