Here’s how to watch the longest lunar eclipse of the century in Sacramento this week
The full moon will turn blood red for three hours and 28 minutes between Thursday and Friday, marking the longest partial lunar eclipse of the century, according to NASA.
Eclipses occur when the Earth orbits and moves in between the sun and the moon.
“When this happens, Earth blocks the sunlight that normally is reflected by the Moon,” NASA wrote on its website. “Instead of light hitting the Moon’s surface, Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon.”
The partial eclipse of this week’s moon, also known as the Beaver Moon because it’s the first full moon in November, begins at 11:19 p.m. Thursday and will last until early morning Friday.
The eclipse will peak around 1 a.m. with the Earth blocking 98% of the sunlight from the moon, creating a copper red hue. It won’t be a total eclipse because a small sliver of the moon will still reflect the sunlight.
The next moon event will be a total lunar eclipse on May 16, 2022.
How can I watch it?
You can find the exact times of the partial total eclipse for your location by checking here.
Since this is a lunar eclipse, and not a solar eclipse, you don’t need any special equipment, other than — maybe — a pair of binoculars or telescope.
According to the latest forecast, Sacramento residents will have a mostly cloudy Thursday and a 63% chance of precipitation Friday. If the sky is too cloudy in your area or you prefer to watch from inside, you can catch the eclipse on live stream.
For those that want to star gaze, rain or moonshine, here are some top places you should go in Sacramento, according to Yelp.
- Curtis Park, 3349 W Curtis Dr, Sacramento
- Capitol Park, Capitol Ave & 15th St, Sacramento
- Old Sacramento Waterfront, 1124 2nd St, Sacramento
- Tower Bridge, 100 Capitol Mall, Sacramento
Know a better spot to catch the lunar eclipse? Let us know at utilityteam@sacbee.com.
This story was originally published November 17, 2021 at 12:17 PM.