Early risers in Southern California will have a chance to see a total lunar eclipse before dawn Tuesday, as the full moon passes into Earth’s shadow in a celestial event visible across the region.
The eclipse will begin at 12:37 a.m. Tuesday and continue until 6:25 a.m., with totality — when the moon is fully within Earth’s inner shadow — starting at 3:04 a.m., according to Griffith Observatory officials.
If skies are clear, the eclipse will be visible to the naked eye from anywhere in Southern California. Observers are advised to look toward the southwest sky. No telescopes or special eye protection are required, officials said.
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon moves directly into the dark inner shadow, or umbra, cast by Earth. As sunlight filters and bends through Earth’s atmosphere, the moon typically takes on a copper or reddish hue — the same effect that produces colorful sunrises and sunsets.
“Eclipses can vary in appearance, and in fact, thanks to geometry, timing, weather and other atmospheric effects, every eclipse is different,” Griffith Observatory Director Dr. E.C. Krupp said in a previous observatory publication, Griffith Observer.
Griffith Observatory will stream the event live online from midnight through 6:25 a.m., but no on-site public viewing will be offered. Griffith Park will be closed during the eclipse.
The broadcast will also be available for later viewing on the observatory’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeOlqcK5Edg.