Ultimate Viewing Guide To Election Day’s Second, Longest And Final Lunar Eclipse Of The Year

When is the next eclipse? During the early hours of Tuesday, November 8, 2022—Election Day in the U.S.— a total lunar eclipse (also known as a “Blood Moon”) will be visible from North and South America, the Pacific, Asia and Australia.

During the event a full Moon—November’s “Beaver Moon”—will enter the center of Earth’s shadow for a whopping 85 minutes, turning an eery dark copper-reddish color as it does so.

It will be the third total lunar eclipse in 18 months, the second in 2022 and the last until 2025.

ADVERTISEMENT

Here’s everything you need to know about the “Beaver Blood Moon Eclipse”—also known as the total lunar eclipse—including exactly when, where and how to see it from North America.

What is a total lunar eclipse ‘Blood Moon?’

When a full Moon passes through Earth’s shadow in space a total lunar eclipse occurs. Each month the New Moon passes roughly between the Earth and the Sun and then orbits to the other side of Earth to the Sun to become a full Moon.

However, only when those alignments are precise can they cause either a solar or lunar eclipse. That’s because the Moon’s orbit is titled in respect to the ecliptic—the Sun’s apparent path through our daytime sky—so only very occasionally does a New Moon eclipse the Sun (a total solar eclipse) and/or a full Moon travel through the Earth’s shadow (a total lunar eclipse).

ADVERTISEMENT

Last week a partial solar eclipse occurred over Europe and Asia, leaving the next full Moon in the perfect place to intersect the ecliptic and cause a total lunar eclipse.

Where is the total lunar eclipse ‘Blood Moon?’

A lunar eclipse always occurs on the night-side of Earth at the same global time. It will be visible from North and South America, the Pacific, Asia and Australia—and that includes all of North America and all 48 contiguous U.S. states.

ADVERTISEMENT

However, since there are timezones the local times are different. This is what’s going on, where and exactly when:

When is the total lunar eclipse ‘Blood Moon’

Here’s when to be outside where you are—though about an hour before and after it will be possible to see the very odd sight of the Moon in partial eclipse. However, if you only want to go outside briefly then this is when to do that (choose “peak totality” if you just want a peak!):

• 5:17- 6:42 a.m. EST on Tuesday, 8 November, 2022 (peak totality at 5:59 a.m. EST)
• 4:17- 5:42 a.m. CST on Tuesday, 8 November, 2022 (peak totality at 4:59 a.m. CST)
• 3:17- 4:42 a.m. MST on Tuesday, 8 November, 2022 (peak totality at 3:59 a.m. MST)
• 2:17- 3:42 a.m. PST on Tuesday, 8 November, 2022 (peak totality at 2:59 a.m. PST)
• 00:17- 1:42 a.m. HST on Tuesday, 8 November, 2022 (peak totality at 00:59 a.m. HST)

ADVERTISEMENT

The phases of a total lunar eclipse

Although the 85-minute “Blood Moon” totality phase is the highlight, the process of a total lunar eclipse happens in five separate phases, with the penumbral and partial one lasting roughly an hour each:

Penumbral lunar eclipse #1

Earth’s penumbra is its outer, fuzzy shadow. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the moon enters the penumbra and loses its brightness. This is an interesting sight to see … kind of.

ADVERTISEMENT

Partial lunar eclipse #1

Earth’s inner, darker shadow is called its umbra. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the moon slowly enters the umbra. The thing to see here is the line of Earth’s shadow moving across the lunar surface, leaving in its wake a reddish color.

Totality

Once the whole of the Moon is completely within Earth’s umbra the only light reaching it is being filtered by Earth’s atmosphere, which scatters blue light and most easily lets through long-wavelength light—red and orange.

Partial lunar eclipse #2

After totality ceases the eclipse appears to go into reverse as the Moon begins to exit the umbra, causing another partial lunar eclipse.

ADVERTISEMENT

Penumbral lunar eclipse #2

Once the Moon is fully out of the umbra it moves through the penumbra, so looks gray once again, though it lacks the brightness of a regular full Moon.

Disclaimer: I am the editor of WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.