FIRST ALERT: Don’t miss the Total Lunar Eclipse happening soon!

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Mark your calendars! On the first Tuesday of March, the Midlands will have a front row seat to a total lunar eclipse. And unlike a solar eclipse, no special equipment or glasses are needed to watch it.

A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth passes directly between the sun and moon, causing it to cast a huge shadow over the moon.

At 3:44 AM on March 3, the moon will enter the faint outer part of the Earth’s shadow. The difference will likely be so subtle, you may not notice any change at all.

Once the moon starts to move into the inner darker part of the shadow, the partial eclipse will begin. It will look as though a bite is being taken out of the moon.

At 6:04 AM, the total eclipse will begin. During the total eclipse, all of the moon will be in the umbra, the darker inner part of the Earth’s shadow.

Totality will take place from 6:04 AM to 7:02 AM. This is also when the moon will appear reddish-orange, hence the name ‘blood moon’.

It looks this way because the Earth’s atmosphere scatters the shorter wavelength blue and violet colors in the sun’s rays. Just the longer wavelength colors like red and orange make it through.

Unfortunately, here in the Midlands we won’t get to see the end of the eclipse as the moon will set and drop below the horizon around 6:52 AM.

But you will get to see the main event which is the lunar eclipse in totality.

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