This browser does not support the Video element.
Partial lunar eclipse happening late Thursday/early Friday
A lunar eclipse will make 96% of the moon appear a deep shade of red as it moves into the Earth's shadow late Thursday night or early Friday. Here's what you need to know.
ATLANTA - Georgians will want to look up Thursday night as the moon takes on a deep reddish glow during a partial lunar eclipse.
What we know:
The celestial show, sometimes referred to as a "blood moon" because of the moon's reddish appearance, will be visible across much of North America.
Unlike a solar eclipse, there's no need for special glasses to watch it. You can safely view a lunar eclipse with the naked eye.
🌕 When to watch in Georgia
The partial eclipse begins at 10:33 p.m. Thursday.
The best viewing time in Atlanta comes shortly after midnight, with the eclipse reaching its maximum at 12:12 a.m. Friday. That's when the moon should appear its deepest shade of red.
The partial eclipse ends at 1:51 a.m., while the final penumbral phase — when the moon passes through the lighter outer portion of Earth's shadow — ends shortly after 3 a.m.
🌘 10:33 p.m. Thursday: Partial eclipse begins
🔴 12:12 a.m. Friday: Maximum eclipse and best viewing
🌗 1:51 a.m.: Partial eclipse ends
🌕 Shortly after 3 a.m.: Eclipse completely ends
Why does the moon turn red?
A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth moves between the sun and a full moon, causing Earth's shadow to fall across the lunar surface.
But the moon doesn't completely disappear.
Some sunlight passes through Earth's atmosphere before reaching the moon. Shorter wavelengths of light are scattered while the redder wavelengths make it through, giving the moon its distinctive orange or red appearance.
☁️ Will Georgia's weather cooperate?
Clouds may be the biggest obstacle for Georgia skywatchers.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected Thursday, and some could linger into the night. That could leave varying amounts of cloud cover across the state when the eclipse begins.
However, even temporary breaks in the clouds could provide a chance to catch the moon during the hourslong event.
So if the sky looks cloudy at 10:30 p.m., don't necessarily give up. With the eclipse continuing into early Friday morning, there will be plenty of time for the clouds to break — and for Georgia to get a glimpse of the blood moon.
This browser does not support the Video element.
Thursday morning weather forecast
Rain was already falling across portions of west and north Georgia early Thursday morning, including heavy rain in Heard County. Metro Atlanta started the day mostly dry, warm and humid with temperatures in the 70s.