Astrophotographer captured this record of the Moon’s progress dead center through the Earth’s shadow in July 2000. On November 8th, 2003, another total lunar eclipse will be visible from North America. Photo by Akira Fujii, courtesy Sky & Telescope.

The Great Disappearing Act - Prime Views of the Lunar Eclipse

On Wednesday evening, October 27th, the full Moon will pass through the Earth's shadow for skywatchers all across the Americas. The total phase of the eclipse will last 1 hour and 22 minutes, and the Moon will be conveniently high in the eastern sky after dark while most people are still awake and about.

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Full Moon passes into the shadow of the Earth. There is absolutely no danger when looking at a lunar eclipse with the naked eye or when looking at it through a telescope or binoculars, since an eclipse of the Moon only appears sometime after sunset — when the Sun is below the horizon. Viewers are free to enjoy the potential brilliant colors of the Moon during the eclipse without taking any special precautions. Although you would expect the Moon to disappear completely when it enters the dark shadow of the Earth, the atmosphere bends some sunlight around the edge of the Earth so the Moon seems to change color as it moves into the shadow. The color of each total lunar eclipse depends on how much dust and pollution our atmosphere contains at that time, so the eclipsed Moon may appear dark brown, deep red, or bright orange. In December 1992, volcanic dust from the Mount Pinatubo eruption made the Moon completely disappear during the total lunar eclipse.

WHEN AND WHERE TO LOOK ON October 27th

The October 27th eclipse will become visible to the naked eye when the Moon enters the umbral phase at 6:32 p.m. EST low above the southeast horizon. The total eclipse begins at 10:23 p.m. and lasts until 11:45 p.m while high above the southern horizon. The moon finally emerges from the dark portion of the Earth's shadow at 12:54 am.

Wednesday night's total eclipse of the Moon is the first one visible in North America since November 8, 2003. The next total lunar eclipse occurs in 2½ years, on March 3, 2007, and favors Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, though skywatchers on the east coast of the Americas will also see much of it, weather permitting.