We have a full moon this weekend, but it won't look like just any other full moon. This one comes with a total lunar eclipse! That means the moon will have a reddish hue to it Sunday night.
A lunar eclipse happens when Earth comes in line with the sun and moon. While the moon is within Earth's shadow, the moon appears to turn a shade of red. Particulate matter in the sky also plays a role in just how deep the red color gets.
From beginning to end, the lunar eclipse will last more than five hours. It gets started around 9:30 pm Sunday night, but the peak of the show starts about two hours later. You won't notice the red shading overspread the moon until about 11:30 pm. The peak of the lunar eclipse ends just before 1:00 am.
So, will the forecast cooperate for us to see the lunar eclipse in central Indiana? It does look like clouds could spoil the show, but not all hope is lost. The cloud cover forecast includes partly to mostly cloudy skies. Since the peak of the eclipse lasts about an hour and a half, there's a good chance we should get at least a glimpse of the reddish hue of the moon.
A lunar eclipse isn't all that rare. We don't have to wait too long for the next one. It comes our way later this year, on November 8th.
Meanwhile, the big show is still on track for April 8th, 2024. That's when central Indiana will be in the path of a total SOLAR eclipse. Fingers crossed our skies will be clear for that one!
