Lunar Eclipse Visible in Southwest Arkansas

In the early hours of Friday morning a partial lunar eclipse will be visible which will subtly give the moon a reddish hue. A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes into the Earth’s shadow. In this case the partial eclipse phase will last approximately 3 ½ hours and the full eclipse 6 hours, making it the longest partial eclipse in 580 years according to the Holcomb Observatory in Indiana.

At its maximum eclipse, the moon will have 97% coverage by the deepest part of earth’s shadow allowing it to turn a deep red color. For those willing to lose a little sleep and be witness to this rare event the partial eclipse will begin around 1:18 in the morning peaking at 3:02am. The partial eclipse will end and the moon will begin to take on its regular hue around 4:45 am.

This lunar eclipse requires no special equipment to view unlike a solar eclipse where special protection is needed. Helping this occurrence to be especially visible is the fact that the moon will be in its fullest phase.

Enjoy this rare occurrence and make sure to bundle up as the forecast for our area indicates a clear cold night Thursday night into Friday morning with temperatures being around 33 degrees during its peak eclipse.