Iowans Will See a ‘Blood Moon’ Lunar Eclipse Thursday Night

If the weather cooperates, millions of people in the U.S. will get to view an amazing celestial event to end the summer! A 'blood moon' lunar eclipse!

What Is a Lunar Eclipse?

A lunar eclipse occurs during a full moon, when the Earth is positioned between the sun and the moon, blocking some, or nearly all, of the light that otherwise shines on the lunar surface, according to Time. On average, there are two or three lunar eclipses each year. Total lunar eclipses make up around 29% of total lunar eclipses. All total lunar eclipses result in a blood moon.

When Will This Lunar Eclipse Happen?

Time reports that the lunar eclipse happening this week will begin during the evening of August 27th and last into the early hours of August 28th. The eclipse will last a total of five hours and 28 minutes. Here in the United States, the eclipse will start at 8:23 p.m. Iowa time and end at 2:01 a.m. the next day. Peak viewing time should occur just after 11 p.m. on Thursday night.

When Will The Next Lunar Eclipse Occur?

Time reports that the next total lunar eclipse will happen on December 31st, 2027, into January 1st, 2028! What a way to ring in a New Year!

The best part about a lunar eclipse is you don't need to protect your eyes to watch! You won't even need a zoom lens to view the eclipse. And the forecast from KCRG calls for clear skies Thursday night into Friday morning.

Happy eclipse viewing!