Total Lunar Eclipse Set for New England Thursday Night
At 12:55 a.m. Friday, an amazing lunar eclipse will sweep across North America. Late-night watchers in New England can see the moon slowly pass through Earth’s dark shadow.
StormTeam 5 chief meteorologist Cindy Fitzgibbon noted that “get outside and take a look” if the clouds clear up, said Fitzgibbon on WCVB. We haven’t seen anything like this since May 2022.
The best part happens between 2:26 a.m. and 3:31 a.m., when the moon goes into total eclipse. Earth’s full shadow won’t let go until 5:05 a.m. Patchy clouds might block the view in some areas.
Unlike a solar eclipse, you don’t need special gear to watch this sky show. Just grab some binoculars if you want to get a closer look at the shadow moving across the moon.
The moon turns red because sunlight bends through Earth’s atmosphere. While blue light bounces away, red light makes it through to color the moon’s surface.
The best time to watch is between 2:26 a.m. and 3:31 a.m. That’s when Earth’s shadow completely covers the moon, creating the deep red color that gives us the “Blood Moon” name.
Whether you’ll see this show depends on the weather. Some people might get lucky with clear skies, while others might have their view blocked by clouds. Better check the weather before planning to wake up.
This eclipse is just one of several cool sky events in 2023, with another total eclipse coming up. Just find a spot with a clear view of the sky, and you’re good to go.
