Space

Will Clouds Block Your View Of The Total Lunar Eclipse?

This year's only lunar eclipse could turn night skies a bit darker if rain, snow or clouds don't do it first.

Lunar Blood Moon: Set Your Alarm Tuesday

LIVE BROADCAST: Tuesday morning's lunar eclipse won't be visible for everyone, so be sure to have The Weather Channel app downloaded and activate push notifications in order to receive alerts when we start live-streaming this celestial event.

More than a billion people from North America to East Asia and Australia will be able to view a total lunar eclipse early Tuesday, but weather could be an issue stateside for some.

What Is A Lunar Eclipse?

A total lunar eclipse happens when the sun, the Earth and moon are positioned so that the full moon passes through the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, called the umbra, which can make the moon look red-orange. That’s why we call it a “blood moon," and sometimes these eclipses struck fear in ancient civilizations when people thought it was an omen of evil.

A lunar eclipse is different than a solar eclipse, which happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth.

What Time Is The Eclipse?

The moon will start to look a little different around 1 a.m. PST or 4 a.m. PST early on Tuesday morning. Totality happens between about 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. PST or after 6 a.m. until moonset in the East.

(MORE: Eclipse Viewing Times)

Best Viewing

The best views of the entire eclipse, weather not included, will be in Hawaii, Alaska and from much of California to Washington.

Skies should be mainly clear over most of California, Nevada and at least interior sections east of the Cascades in Oregon and Washington.

Across the South, the least cloud cover is expected in Florida, Alabama and much of Georgia, with some scattered clouds possible from the lower Mississippi Valley to Texas and Oklahoma. Find a high ridge or skyscraper for the best viewing because the event will be seen near the horizon.

Watch Online, Instead?

In the East though, the eclipse will be seen low on the horizon as the moon sets after 6 a.m. and for much of the Midwest and East, this eclipse will not be one worth waking up for. A storm system will be moving through the Mid-Atlantic, mid-Mississippi and Ohio Valleys with precipitation and cloud cover that will cover the sky.

Some showers and clouds are also expected in parts of Utah, Wyoming and Colorado that could obstruct the view.

Clouds may also blanket the sky in parts of the central and Northern Plains into the upper Midwest.

(MORE: NASA Delays The Return To The Moon)

Do I Need Glasses To See The Total Lunar Eclipse?

No special equipment, including eclipse glasses, is needed to view a lunar eclipse. That’s because you’re not looking directly at the sun.

Telescopes and binoculars aren’t necessary, but they will give you a better view. So will moving away from bright light.

How To Photograph The Red Moon With A Phone

Your smartphone can potentially capture great images of the blood moon total lunar eclipse, and this is where a telescope can come in especially handy.

But first, stability is key. For the best images, use a tripod or similar equipment and put your phone camera up to the telescope’s eyepiece.

(MORE: Tips And Settings For Shooting The Night Sky On Your Phone)

If you catch anything phenomenal, send it to us in the comments below.

When Is The Next Eclipse?

This is the last total lunar eclipse anywhere on Earth until New Year's Eve 2028, but there will be a partial solar eclipse from Canada to Europe on Aug. 12 and a partial lunar eclipse a few weeks later that will be visible across the Americas.

Jonathan Belles has been a digital meteorologist for weather.com for 9 years. His favorite weather is tropical weather, but also enjoys covering high-impact weather and news stories and winter storms. He's a two-time graduate of Florida State University and a proud graduate of St. Petersburg College.