Lunar Eclipse
Early on Saturday evening, March 3rd, viewers in eastern North America get to watch a spectacular total eclipse of the Moon -- part of it, anyway.
The farther east you are the better. In the Eastern time zone, the eclipse will already be total when the Moon rises at sunset. As daylight fades, watch low above the eastern horizon for a very dim, eerie, red-brown ball of a Moon coming into view.
In much of the Central time zone, the Moon may already be starting to exit Earth's shadow -- that is, it's back in partial eclipse -- by the time you first see it. In the Mountain time zone the Moon will be nearly or completely back to normal. Those of you in the Far West miss out entirely.
Here's the timetable (in Eastern Standard Time): Partial eclipse begins at 4:30 p.m. Totality runs from 5:44 to 6:58 p.m. The last partial-eclipse stage ends at 8:12 p.m., and the last pale, penumbral shading fades from the Moon's face about 8:50 p.m.
Convert these to your time zone, then compare with your local time of sunset to find how much of the eclipse you can see. The Moon rises at sunset during any lunar eclipse.
If you're an easterner and have a good view low to the east, invite the neighbors for an early-evening eclipse party!Viewer's Guide to the Eclipse
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