Time lapse of the 2018 blood moon lunar eclipse: Deposit Photos
If you’re up early on Election Day, you can witness a celestial event — a blood moon and a total lunar eclipse. This is also an exceedingly rare alignment of the eclipsed moon with a U.S. midterm election!
The total lunar eclipse will happen over several hours before dawn on the morning of Tuesday, November, 8th, 2022 — so keep your fingers crossed for clear conditions that will let us enjoy stargazing here in metro Atlanta.
This is the last lunar eclipse of 2o22 (we wrote about a spectacular super moon lunar eclipse last May), and you won’t get another chance to see one for nearly three years.
We’ve got tips for viewing the lunar eclipse on your own, as well as some links to live-stream events.
But first, some background info:
♣ A blood moon refers to a phenomenon by which the moon appears reddish or coppery in color. The red color is caused by the way the light waves scatter, and how the human eye perceives it. It’s the same effect that gives sunrise and sunset a reddish glow. The shade of red varies by the amount of dust and clouds in the atmosphere at the time.
♣ A total lunar eclipse happens at full moon when the earth, moon, and sun line up exactly, so the earth blocks light from the sun. The moon appears darkened as it passes through the shadow of the earth.
According to NASA, the next total lunar eclipse after this one will be on Friday, March 14th, 2025 — and you can check back here then for viewing details!
And by the way, the November full moon is also known as the “Beaver Moon.” So technically this is a Beaver Blood Moon that’s involved in the lunar eclipse.
When is the lunar eclipse?
It takes place during the wee hours of Tuesday, November 8th, 2022. The lunar eclipse happens in phases and takes awhile to reach totality, so this celestial event happens over several hours. The total eclipse itself lasts 84 minutes.
This is what you can expect, and when, as noted by TimeAndDate.com:
• 4:09 a.m. — partial eclipse begins
• 5:16 a.m. — total eclipse begins (watch the moon turn red)
• 5:59 a.m. — MAXIMUM ECLIPSE — full blood-red color
• 6:41 a.m. — total eclipse ends
• 7:04 a.m. — the moon sets, meaning it dips below the horizon and is no longer visible
• 7:49 a.m. — partial eclipse ends below the horizon (not visible)
How can I see the lunar eclipse?
Usually it is super simple — just go outside, look up, and take it all in. Unlike with a solar eclipse, you don’t need special equipment or eye protection. There’s no danger in looking right at the eclipse.
The November 8th eclipse, however, will happen low on the horizon here on the East Coast, making it a bit trickier to find a clear view through Atlanta’s famous trees. (The May 2022 eclipse occurred high in the sky, making it more widely viewable.) It also happens just before sunrise, meaning you’ll be watching in a twilight sky rather than the dark night sky.
In general, the best viewing conditions are clear skies, but the eclipse is long enough that you’ll likely be able to see some of it even if it’s partially cloudy. It also helps, if possible, to move away from bright city lights. The darker it is where you are, the more dramatic your view.
Our Atlanta weathermen have said they don’t expect complete cloud cover over Monday night thru Tuesday morning. But IF they’re wrong and it ends up completely overcast, you can watch one of the live streams listed below.
If you happen to have good binoculars, or even a small telescope, definitely use them. It would be fun to get a closer look at the moon and the lunar eclipse.
RECOMMENDATION: Scout your spot ahead of time.
Unfortunately, you’ll need a clear view of the western horizon for this eclipse — at the point of maximum eclipse, the moon will be 13 degrees above the horizon. That kind of clear view may be hard to come by. The compass app on your mobile phone is a great tool to help you scout for a good viewing place.
Space Cat. Elements of this image furnished by NASA.
Lunar eclipse live streams
Back in May 2022, there was such a good view of the super blood moon eclipse in the late evening that our local observatories and science museums held viewing parties. That’s not the case this time around.
However, there are several astronomical organizations hosting free live streams of the eclipse — the next best thing to stargazing in person. You can tune in to watch the full moon slowly turn red. And then, get up and vote! (Krispy Kreme is offering a FREE DONUT to everyone who drops by a shop on Election Day.)
(Note that NASA is NOT streaming the eclipse this time around.)
TimeAndDate.com
Watch from their website or from their YouTube channel, beginning at 4 a.m.
Griffith Observatory
The famed Los Angeles observatory will begin its live stream at 3 a.m. and continue to 9 a.m. (this is Eastern Standard Time). Probably no one needs to watch six hours of this, so just tune in to the Griffith YouTube channel according to the schedule above to see the part you want.
Virtual Telescope Project
Webcasting from Italy, but the stream will switch back and forth between live views across the whole visibility range. Tune in a 4:30 a.m. EST here in Atlanta. You can watch from the Telescope Project website or on their YouTube channel.
Lowell Observatory
Starting at 4 a.m. EST, this stream will feature live commentary from Flagstaff, Arizona. They also plan to re-run the webcast for anyone who wants to watch at a more convenient time. Watch on the observatory’s YouTube channel.
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More upcoming events:
Fernbank Science Center & Planetarium / Observatory
156 Heaton Park Dr
Atlanta, GA 30307
