May 15, 2022 by Meteorologist Michael Page
On Sunday night, New England will be able to see a total lunar eclipse.
Here's everything you need to know.
What it is:
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon slips into the shadow of the earth. Sometimes the moon takes on a reddish hue during this process, leading it to be described as a "blood moon."
When to see it:
This is actually quite a long eclipse, in terms of its duration.
The moon will first partially enter the earth's shadow at 10:27 PM.
At 11:29 PM the moon will completely enter earth's shadow.
Totality, the time during which the moon is most likely to take on a red hue, lasts until 12:53 AM.
Then the moon remains partially engulfed by the shadow of earth through 1:55 AM.
Viewing conditions:
Fortunately, because this is a long eclipse, we should be able to see at least parts of this process from New England.
The South Shore will be dealing with about 50-70% cloud cover during this time, so it is unlikely to be a perfect view, but with patience and dedication you will be able to see parts of it.
Remember, lunar eclipses are safe to view without eye protection, so enjoy!