There’s a chance to observe a special astronomical event this weekend, as the night of May 15/16 will see a total lunar eclipse.
There’s a chance to observe a special astronomical event this weekend, as the night of May 15/16 will see a total lunar eclipse. It’s a great opportunity to stop and look up into the sky, and we’ve got information on how you can watch the event — whether you want to head outside and see it yourself or stay wrapped up warm inside and watch online. An eclipse happens when the moon is on the exact opposite side of Earth than the sun, so that Earth casts a shadow over the moon. It’s relatively common for there to be partial lunar eclipses, in which part of the moon is shadowed by the Earth, but the event this weekend is a rarer total lunar eclipse. This happens around once every one-and-a-half years, when the moon is in complete shadow. As the Earth, sun, and moon move into position, you’ll see a shadow appearing across the face of the moon, moving over it until it blocks it out entirely.
