A total lunar eclipse will begin on Thursday and end on Friday, and the entire total phase will be visible in all of North and South America. This kind of eclipse occurs about once or twice a year during the full moon season.
Lunar eclipses happen when the moon passes through Earth’s shadow, often casting a red-orange hue onto the moon. While special eclipse glasses are needed when viewing solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely safe to look at with the naked eye.
The first phase of the lunar eclipse, the penumbral eclipse, will be visible around 8:57 p.m. in Santa Barbara. Penumbral lunar eclipses occur when the moon enters the Earth’s penumbra, the part of the shadow that only obstructs some of the sun’s light.
The partial eclipse will begin around 10:10 p.m., which is when the moon partially enters the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, the umbra. The total eclipse, where the moon is completely darkened by the Earth’s umbra, will be visible around 11:26 p.m., reaching its maximum a couple minutes before midnight.
Isabella Figueroa (12), an intern at the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum, works in the Planetarium, where she presents on the solar system, planets, asteroids, and comets. Figueroa also works at the observatory and handles the telescope. While the Planetarium does not currently host specific events for lunar eclipses, Figueroa said they do for solar eclipses.
Although Figueroa does not watch lunar eclipses, she finds them “really cool.”
For the best view of the lunar eclipse, she recommended going to places with minimal light pollution. This can include heading to Los Padres National Forest, El Capitán Beach, or a backyard away from city lights.
“If you really do want to look at the lunar eclipse, plus looking at stars, I’d recommend going in a dark space where there is no light pollution,” Figueroa said. “Then, you’ll be able to see more.”
There is a chance of rain or clouds affecting visibility at the time of the eclipse.
