Blood Moon Appears on Election Day in Last Total Lunar Eclipse for 3 Years

The normally bright and glowing moon will appear eerily red early Tuesday, during the last total lunar eclipse for the next three years. The so-called “Beaver Moon,” as November’s full moon is called, will peak at 6:02 a.m. EST during the lunar eclipse.

NASA said the total lunar eclipse — when the sun, Earth and moon align so the moon goes into Earth’s shadow — will occur on Nov. 8, Election Day. The eclipse will begin at 3:02 a.m. ET, and totality — when the moon is in the darkest part of Earth’s shadow and appears bright red, earning it the nickname “blood moon” — will last from about 5:17 a.m. to 6 p.m. :42 a.m. East.

The blood moon stage of the eclipse will be visible from North and Central America, Ecuador, Colombia and western areas of Venezuela and Peru. Those in Hawaii will be able to see every stage of the eclipse, NASA said.

In a video posted on Twitter, NASA said the eclipse will provide a bit of “celestial magic.”

“You will be able to see the full eclipse unfold before dawn, weather permitting, as the moon exits the dark part of Earth’s shadow called the umbra,” NASA said.

No special equipment is needed to view the eclipse, although it is more visible if you are in an area away from bright lights. Those who have binoculars on hand get the added benefit of being able to see the icy planet Uranus, “just a finger’s width from the eclipsed moon,” NASA said.

There are plenty of reasons to look at the sky in November: a total lunar eclipse, the Leonid meteors and chances to see Mars, Saturn and the star Spica! Check out the best times to spot these celestial bodies: pic.twitter.com/hmYGKio4Mq

— NASA (@NASA) Nov 2, 2022

The last total lunar eclipse was in May. That eclipse created what is known as the “super flower blood moon“, which only happens when there is a total lunar eclipse, as the full moon is closest to Earth. Millions could see the giant red-looking space object from America, Europe and Africa.