Southern California skywatchers will have a chance Thursday night to see a nearly total lunar eclipse, with 96% of the moon expected to slip into Earth’s shadow at the height of the celestial event.
Griffith Observatory will open its grounds for public viewing of the partial lunar eclipse beginning at 7:25 p.m. Thursday, weather permitting, and will broadcast the event online from 7:25 p.m. until 12:05 a.m. Friday.
If skies are clear, the eclipse will be visible to the unaided eye throughout Southern California, according to the observatory. No telescope or special eye protection is needed to view a lunar eclipse.
The moon will rise on the southeastern horizon at 7:18 p.m., with the partial, or umbral, phase of the eclipse beginning at 7:34 p.m.
The eclipse will become visible from the Griffith Observatory lawn around 8:15 p.m. and reach its peak at 9:13 p.m., when about 96% of the moon will be covered by Earth’s shadow, officials said.
With nearly the entire lunar surface in Earth’s shadow, much of the moon could take on a reddish-orange appearance sometimes associated with a “blood moon.”
The umbral phase will end at 10:52 p.m., while the more subtle penumbral phase will continue until 12:02 a.m. Friday.
The eclipse will also be visible from other parts of North and South America, Europe and Africa, although the timing and visibility will vary by location.
Griffith Observatory officials warned anyone planning to view the eclipse from the facility to expect large crowds, limited parking and heavy traffic. A concert at the nearby Greek Theatre is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, further limiting parking in the area.
The observatory building will close at its usual time of 10 p.m., but the grounds and outdoor restrooms will remain open until 11 p.m.
The DASH Observatory/Los Feliz bus will operate from the Vermont/Sunset Metro station, with the final bus scheduled to leave the observatory at 11 p.m.
Lawn chairs, coolers, tripods and other large items will not be permitted on the observatory’s lawn or terraces.
A time-lapse version of the observatory’s eclipse broadcast is expected to be available at 8 a.m. Friday on its YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/c/GriffithObservatory.