You’re about to get your last chance at witnessing a total lunar eclipse for quite some time. NASA has pointed out that the last such eclipse until March 2025 begins in the early morning hours of November 8th in North America. Parts of Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South America can also get a glimpse. The partial eclipse will start at 4:09AM Eastern, with totality lasting from 4:16AM through 5:42AM. The ending partial phase will finish at 6:49AM. Those on the eastern US coast will miss some or all of that last segment as the Moon sets. However, you might not have to venture outside if it’s too chilly — there are ways to watch from the warmth of home.
Livestreams will be available. Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona will offer multiple telescope views of the total lunar eclipse starting at 4AM Eastern. Timeanddate.com will have streams in multiple cities, including its own view from Roswell, New Mexico as well as feeds from San Diego and Perth in Australia. The Virtual Telescope Project will also provide international coverage.
You’ll want to have a look even if 2025 doesn’t seem that far away. Total lunar eclipses (where the Earth sits directly between the Moon and Sun) earn their “blood Moon” nickname due to the optical tricks that paint the lunar surface a dramatic red. Where short-wavelength blue light tends to get caught in the particles of Earth’s atmosphere, the longer wavelengths of red, orange and yellow help them complete the cosmic journey. It’s a stunning effect you can see with your naked eyes. And if you have a telescope, you may even spot Uranus in the distance.
There will be partial and penumbral lunar eclipses during the interval. The first visible in the Americas will take place on October 28th, 2023, with others due on March 25th and September 18th the following year. You’re not completely out of luck, then, even if those events won’t be quite so eye-catching.