Blood Moon Eclipse 2021: Why You Need To Wake-Up Early On Thursday To See The ‘Giant Japanese Lantern’ Moon Glow

A great celestial event is coming for North America, but you’re going to have to get up early to see it.

Taking place on the night of November 18–19, 2021 is the longest partial eclipse of the Moon this century. 

That in itself is not a huge claim. After all, a total lunar eclipse is the “best” kind of lunar eclipse. However, what happens later this week will be, and look, rather strange.

It’s set to be a very deep eclipse with about 97% of the Moon’s disk passing through the dark inner part of Earth’s shadow—its umbra—to leave “a tiny, silvery sliver of the Moon’s southern edge peeking out,” as Sky & Telescope magazine puts it. 

It could also look something like a Japanese lantern.

This is a global event visible to everyone on the night-side of Earth, but local times do, of course, vary. Here’s when to see the partial lunar eclipse from where you are—remember that “maximum eclipse” is when to se a 97% “Blood Moon” though the preceding partial eclipse is also a fine sight:

Times of key events for the lunar eclipse this November 18–19, 2021. 

SKY & TELESCOPE

Here are the times for each timezone in the U.S:

When to see the ‘Blood Moon Eclipse’ in EST on November 19, 2021

When to see the “Blood Moon” in EST on November 19, 2021 

GREGG DINDERMAN / SKY & TELESCOPE; SOURCE: USNO

When to see the ‘Blood Moon Eclipse’ in CST on November 19, 2021

When to see the “Blood Moon” in CST on November 19, 2021 

GREGG DINDERMAN / SKY & TELESCOPE; SOURCE: USNO

When to see the ‘Blood Moon Eclipse’ in MST on November 18-19, 2021

When to see the “Blood Moon” in MST on November 19, 2021 

GREGG DINDERMAN / SKY & TELESCOPE; SOURCE: USNO

When to see the ‘Blood Moon Eclipse’ in PST on November 18-19, 2021

When to see the “Blood Moon” in PST on November 19, 2021 

GREGG DINDERMAN / SKY & TELESCOPE; SOURCE: USNO

“The Moon will be in Taurus and pleasingly placed some 6° — approximately the width of three fingers held together at arm’s length — lower left of the pretty Pleiades open star cluster at the time of maximum eclipse,” said Diana Hannikainen, observing editor at Sky & Telescope. “This should provide great opportunities for some fun photos.” 

“You only need your eyes to see the drama unfold, but if you have binoculars or a backyard telescope, they'll give a much-enhanced view,” said Hannikainen.

The key sight will be the trailing edge of the Moon passing into the umbra to glow a shade of copper, orange or red. It’s caused by the Earth’s atmosphere scattering sunlight and diverting some onto the eclipsed Moon, just like at a sunset.

From the Moon you’d see a solar eclipse, with a dark Earth rimmed with the reddish light of thousands of sunrises and sunsets.

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2021/11/15/blood-moon-eclipse-2021-why-you-need-to-wake-up-early-on-thursday-to-see-the-giant-japanese-lantern-moon-glow/?sh=25f9618f33d7