CLEVELAND — There will be a show in the sky tonight across the United States: a lunar eclipse. The moon will be caught behind the Earth's shadow, or penumbra and umbra, causing it to temporarily disappear and eventually turn red. Lunar eclipses are usually also known as blood moons. However, some Americans will get the full display while others only get a partial eclipse.
TIMING: Late Tuesday Night (May 25) - Early Wednesday Morning (May 26)
Specific times -- scroll down to the end | For Ohio -- scroll down to the end
WHY THE RED?
As the moon hides behind the Earth's shadow, the moon doesn't just darken, it actually turns red. Sunlight around the edge of the earth skims through the atmosphere and bends it towards the moon. Essentially it is all the current sunrises and sunsets casting their red and orange glows upon the moon.
WHERE TO LOOK?
The peak lunar eclipse will take place over the central Pacific. From the United States' perspective, it will be in the southwestern sky. If you divide the nation in half (east - west), the eastern US will see the partial eclipse just before sunrise. The western US will see a more complete eclipse early in the morning (3-6 AM local time).
(A more complete eclipse will take place closer you live to West Coast.)
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT WHERE YOU LIVE
The farther south and west you live, more of the eclipse you will see, and the more red color or "blood moon" you will see too. Towards the north and east, expect only a partial eclipse. In fact ,the red may not be visible, instead a portion of the moon may just be darkened, close to the Great Lakes and Northeast. Here is what you can expect region-by-region and state-by-state.
Clouds will remain a huge factor. Clear skies will help make this spectacle visible.
NORTHEAST/EAST
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
SOUTHEAST
- Alabama
- Florida
- Georgia
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
CENTRAL
- Arkansas
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Wisconsin
ROCKY MOUNTAINS
- Colorado
- Idaho
- Montana
- New Mexico
- Utah
- Wyoming
WEST
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Hawaii
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Washington
WHAT ABOUT OHIO?
It will be hard to see the partial eclipse because the eclipse will just begin around 5 AM with the moon just about 10 degrees above the horizon. You will need to find a clear, elevated spot to look in the southwestern sky. The moon will set at 6 AM. In Cleveland, just a sliver of the left side of the moon will darken before the moon disappears below the horizon.
CHECK OUT THE TIME CALCULATOR
To see an animation of what you will roughly see in the night / early morning sky, type your city into the calculator by tapping HERE.
(by timeanddate.com)
WKYC
Meteorologist Matt Standridge