Grab your coats and lawn chairs! The last total lunar eclipse visible in North America until 2025 will be gracing skies early Tuesday morning. Lunar eclipses occur when the moon passes directly through the darkest part of Earths shadow, turning the red a dark reddish hue.

A partial lunar eclipse typically occurs several times a year, but a total eclipse happens with less frequency since the size of earths inner shadow, or umbra, is much smaller than the softer shadow cast behind the earth in a much large area.

Residents across the entirety of the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii, will be able to see the lunar eclipse. Residents on the east coast will have to have a good view of the western horizon, as the eclipse will reach totality just 30-40 minutes before the moon sets. Totality will begin at 5:59 am EST, and end around 6:42 EST, after the moon has set for many residents on the coast.

Forecast

While the eclipse is a certainty, your ability to view the eclipse may be a bit less certain. Scattered showers and cloud cover may make viewing difficult for some in the West, the Great Plains, and in the Southeast. Cloud forecasts may change in the days ahead, so be sure to check back with WeatherNation for an update. Unlike viewing a solar eclipse, you don’t need any protective eyewear to watch a lunar eclipse. View with the naked eye, or for more detail, use a telescope or binoculars.