It was “an eclipse for the Americas,” according to a planetary geologist for NASA, describing Sunday night’s total lunar eclipse, which was best viewed by skywatchers in North and South America.
The eclipse could be viewed in prime time in Long Beach, when it began at about 6:30 p.m., reaching maximum eclipse at 9:11, with the light show—or, rather, dark show—continuing until nearly midnight.
The moon, during most of the eclipse, took on a rust-hued cast—or, for the more sanguine, blood-red—due to the fact that when the moon is in the shadow of the Earth, blue and green light gets scattered, leaving orange and red.
The warm Sunday evening was clear and gave local viewers a long and perfect opportunity to witness the celestial phenomenon.
The next total lunar eclipse will appear in November, but it will be best viewed in Europe and Africa. After that, the next one will be in March 2025.
