The total lunar eclipse of May 26th — the first in more than two years — favors western North America, but much of the continent will see the partial phases, provided skies are clear.

No one has seen a total lunar eclipse since January 2019, but the drought is finally ending. Viewers in the western half of North America, western South America, East Asia, and Australia will see the Moon darken and turn a reddish hue on Wednesday morning, May 26th. Much of North America will see at least some of the penumbral stages, in which the Moon appears almost imperceptibly shadowed. But the Moon will be low in the sky; for any chance of catching a glimpse of the event you’ll need to find an open view to the southwest.

For the eastern U.S. and Canada, the Moon sets (and the Sun rises) as the early stages of the eclipse get underway. Midwesterners are luckier and might catch a peek of the setting Moon with about half of the disk immersed in Earth’s dark, inner shadow. The western part of the continent will see the full eclipse, but you’ll have to get up early (or stay up really, really late). For those in Hawai’i, you’ll be in for a treat if your skies are clear:  You’ll get to witness the whole event, from start to finish.

For more info, visit https://skyandtelescope.org/press-releases/total-lunar-eclipse-morning-may-26th/.