You can watch a lunar eclipse as the Flower Moon turns red on May 15 or 16, depending on your location, and is even broadcast online in case you can’t see it in person.
This will be the first of only two lunar eclipses in 2022, and the only one visible to humans in North America this year, so don’t miss what happens when the new moon passes into Earth’s shadow.
Depending on where you stand, the eclipse can be complete or semi-seeded; the latter occurs when only the edge of the Earth’s shadow falls over the moon. At least part of the completely eclipsed lunar phase will be visible from parts of the Americas, Antarctica, Europe, Africa and the Eastern Pacific, while those in New Zealand, Eastern Europe and the Middle East will be treated as eclipses.
The partial eclipse officially begins May 15 at 10:28 PM EDT (2:28 AM GMT May 16), according to TimeandDate.com. The so-called Bloody Moon (total phase) eclipse will peak at 12:11 EDT (04:11 GMT) and the eclipse will end at 1:55 EDT (0555 GMT). A penumbral eclipse will begin and end approximately one hour after a partial eclipse.
Lunar eclipses are completely safe to see with the naked eye or binoculars or a telescope. Also, unlike solar eclipses, they usually last a few hours, so you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the show. In addition, if the weather is unpredictable or you can’t easily see an eclipse in your area, webcasts are available to help.
NASA Science Live plans to broadcast on YouTube starting at 9:32 p.m. EDT on May 15 (1:32 a.m. GMT, May 16), which includes a live chat and discussion of Artemis ’agency program to land on the Moon for astronauts.
Other YouTube broadcasts are available with the astronomical webcaster Slooh starting at 21:30 EDT (May 16, 01:30 GMT), and with TimeandDate.com half an hour later starting at 22:30 EDT on May 15 (02:00 GMT 16). May). Slooh will broadcast the totality phase, before switching to the Discord member-only channel, while TimeandDate.com plans to show the entire eclipse, weather permitting.
The next and last lunar eclipse of 2022 will occur on November 8, 2022. It will be visible at least in part from Asia, Australia, North America, parts of northern and eastern Europe, the Arctic and much of South America.
Editor’s note: If you take an amazing photo of a lunar eclipse and want to share it with Live Science readers, send your photos, comments, and your name and location to [email protected]
Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace.