On the morning of November 8, 2022, Earth will briefly interpose itself between the sun and the moon, casting its shadow across the lunar surface and transforming it into a glowing copper-red disk for eighty-five minutes. This celestial alignment — the second and final total lunar eclipse of the year — will be visible across much of the inhabited world, from North America to Australia, inviting millions to pause before dawn and witness a phenomenon that has stirred human wonder since long before science gave it a name. The moon's ruddy color, born of every sunrise and sunset on Earth simultane
Beaver Blood Moon: Total lunar eclipse turns moon copper-red on Nov. 8
thousands of sunsets reflected by the moon
Mark
Why does the moon turn red during a total lunar eclipse? It seems counterintuitive—shouldn't it go dark?
Mimi
It does go dark, but not black. Earth's shadow falls across it, but sunlight still reaches the moon—just filtered through Earth's atmosphere first. The atmosphere acts like a lens, bending light and scattering away the blue wavelengths. What gets through is red and orange, the longest wavelengths. So the moon glows with that copper color.
Mark
It's like Earth is casting a sunset onto the moon?
Mimi
Exactly. Thousands of sunsets happening all at once, all around Earth's edge, all reflecting off the lunar surface. That's the image that stuck with me when I first understood it.
Mark
How long does the red phase actually last?
Mimi
Eighty-five minutes of totality—when the moon is completely in Earth's umbra. But the whole event, from the first partial shadow to the last, takes several hours. If you want to see it properly, you should be outside an hour before totality even begins, watching the partial phase creep across the moon's face.
Mark
Can you see it from everywhere on Earth?
Mimi
No. Europe and Africa won't see anything—they're on the daylit side of the planet. But North America, Asia, Australia, and parts of South America will have a view. The exact timing depends on your time zone, so you need to check your location specifically.
Mark
What if I can't get outside?
Mimi
Several observatories are livestreaming it for free. Lowell Observatory in Arizona, TimeandDate from New Mexico, the Virtual Telescope Project with feeds from multiple countries. You can watch from home and still see the whole thing unfold.
Il Polso
- The moon will vanish into Earth's deepest shadow at 5:17 a.m. EST, leaving only a blood-red glow for eighty-five uninterrupted minutes — the longest such window the year will offer.
- Visibility is sharply unequal: North America and the Pacific rim will see the full spectacle, while Europe and Africa will see nothing at all, caught on the wrong side of the planet.
- Free livestreams from Lowell Observatory, TimeandDate.com, and the Virtual Telescope Project are mobilizing before 4 a.m. EST to ensure no one is locked out by geography or cloud cover.
- A rare bonus accompanies the eclipse — Uranus drifts visibly close to the blood moon, and observers in parts of Asia will watch the ice giant slip entirely behind it during totality.
- After November 8, the sky goes quiet on this front: no total lunar eclipse will return until March 14, 2025, making this the year's last chance to see the moon burn red.
On the morning of November 8, 2022, Earth will briefly interpose itself between the sun and the moon, casting its shadow across the lunar surface and transforming it into a glowing copper-red disk for eighty-five minutes. This celestial alignment — the second and final total lunar eclipse of the year — will be visible across much of the inhabited world, from North America to Australia, inviting millions to pause before dawn and witness a phenomenon that has stirred human wonder since long before science gave it a name. The moon's ruddy color, born of every sunrise and sunset on Earth simultaneously refracted through our atmosphere, is a reminder that even in darkness, our planet leaves its mark on the sky.
On the morning of November 8, 2022, the moon will pass completely into Earth's shadow and hold there for eighty-five minutes, glowing a deep copper-red in a phenomenon known as a total lunar eclipse — the second and final one of the year. Skywatchers across North America, parts of South America, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand will have a front-row view, though what any individual sees depends entirely on where they stand.
The eclipse unfolds in careful stages. The moon begins entering Earth's outer shadow just before 4:44 a.m. EST, with full totality arriving at 5:17 a.m. and lasting until 6:42 a.m. The reddish color that gives the eclipse its popular name — the Beaver Blood Moon — is the product of Rayleigh scattering: Earth's atmosphere strips away blue light and bends red and orange wavelengths onto the lunar surface, creating the visual equivalent of thousands of sunrises and sunsets reflected at once. The vividness of the red depends on how much dust and cloud sits in Earth's atmosphere that morning.
Not everyone will see the same thing. Those in Iceland, parts of South America, and central Asia will catch only the partial phases. Eastern Brazil, northern Scandinavia, and the Middle East will notice only a faint penumbral dimming. Europe and Africa, on the daylit side of Earth, will see nothing at all. For those clouded out or otherwise unable to observe directly, free livestreams from Lowell Observatory, TimeandDate.com, and the Virtual Telescope Project begin as early as 4:00 a.m. EST, with commentary from astronomers and feeds from multiple continents.
No special equipment is needed — the lunar eclipse is safe to watch with the naked eye, though binoculars and telescopes reward patience. Astrophotographers are advised to set up early and let their gear acclimate to the cold. An added curiosity: the planet Uranus will be visible near the eclipsed moon throughout the event, and in parts of Asia it will briefly disappear behind the moon entirely during totality. When the eclipse ends, so does the year's lunar drama — the next total lunar eclipse won't arrive until March 2025.
On the morning of November 8, 2022, the moon will slip into Earth's shadow and turn a deep copper-red for eighty-five minutes. This total lunar eclipse—the second and final one of the year—will be visible to skywatchers across North America, parts of South America, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, though exactly what you see will depend entirely on where you stand on the planet.
The event unfolds in stages. The partial eclipse begins at 4:44 a.m. EST, as the moon enters the outer edge of Earth's shadow. By 5:17 a.m., totality arrives: the moon passes completely into Earth's umbra, the planet's deepest shadow, and the reddish hue emerges. This total phase lasts until 6:42 a.m., when the moon begins to leave the umbra. The entire partial eclipse continues until 8:05 a.m. For observers in other time zones, the Virtual Telescope Project and TimeandDate.com provide location-specific schedules. The faint penumbral phases—when the moon grazes Earth's lighter outer shadow—bookend the event roughly an hour before and after the main eclipse.
The copper-red color that gives the eclipse its popular name comes from a physical principle called Rayleigh scattering. When sunlight passes through Earth's atmosphere, the shorter blue wavelengths scatter away, while longer red and orange wavelengths pass through. The moon, bathed in this filtered light, reflects it back to Earth. The effect resembles thousands of sunsets and sunrises happening at once, projected onto the lunar surface. How vivid the red appears depends on dust and clouds in Earth's atmosphere at the time; a clearer atmosphere produces a darker, deeper red.
Visibility varies by region. Observers in North America, parts of South America, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand will see the full total eclipse. Those in Iceland, parts of South America, south and central Asia, and Russia will witness only the partial phases. Eastern Brazil, Argentina, northern Scandinavia, and the Middle East will see only the penumbral eclipse—a subtle darkening that lacks the dramatic color change. Europe and Africa, on the daylit side of Earth during the eclipse, will see nothing.
For those unable to step outside, multiple observatories are broadcasting the event live. Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona begins streaming at 2:00 a.m. MST (4:00 a.m. EST), with historians and moon experts providing commentary. TimeandDate.com will broadcast from Roswell, New Mexico, with additional feeds from San Diego and Perth, Australia, starting at 4:00 a.m. EST. The Virtual Telescope Project will stream views from observers across the United States, Canada, Australia, and India beginning at 4:30 a.m. EST. All streams are free.
Unlike a solar eclipse, viewing a lunar eclipse requires no special equipment or protective glasses—the moon is entirely safe to observe with the naked eye. Binoculars and telescopes enhance the view, though they need time to adjust to outdoor temperature and humidity before use. Astrophotographers should practice their settings beforehand and bring equipment outside early to avoid dew condensation. A bonus for some viewers: the planet Uranus will be visible near the eclipsed moon throughout the event. In parts of Asia, including Hong Kong, Uranus will actually pass behind the moon during totality.
This eclipse marks the end of lunar eclipse activity for 2022. The next total lunar eclipse will not occur until March 14, 2025, when it will be visible from North America, South America, and the Pacific. Two lunar eclipses are scheduled for 2023, but neither will be total—one will be penumbral on May 5-6, the other partial on October 28-29. For now, November 8 offers the year's final chance to witness the moon's transformation into a copper-red disk suspended in the pre-dawn sky.
Citazioni salienti
It's rather as if thousands of sunsets and sunrises are being reflected by the moon.— NASA explanation of the red color during total lunar eclipse
Vuoi la storia completa?
Leggi l'originale su Space.com ↗
Science & Space