The best time to catch lunar eclipse Saturday

Skywatchers in the western U.S. will get a chance to see the moon turn an eerie red during a full lunar eclipse Saturday morning. But they'll have to look fast; the event will last less than five minutes. In the rest of the country, only a partial eclipse will be visible, but the show will go on for longer.

Starting at 3:16 a.m. PDT (6:16 a.m. EDT), the moon will begin to move into the Earth's shadow. It will take an hour and 45 minutes to arrive completely within the shadow, reaching totality at 4:48 a.m. PDT.

During totality, which will last a brief 4 minutes and 43 seconds, those west of the Mississippi will be able to see an eerie blood moon. East of the river, sunrise will interrupt the view, offering only a partial eclipse. But the partial eclipse will last unusually long -- 102 minutes, according to Space.com.

For East Coasters and Midwesterners hoping for a glimpse, Space.com says these are the best times to watch:

Boston: 6:26 a.m. (11 percent coverage)

Montreal: 6:34 a.m. (19 percent coverage)

Chicago: 6:34 a.m. (77 percent coverage)

New York: 6:39 a.m. (24 percent coverage)

New Orleans: 6:51 a.m. (94 percent coverage)

Washington: 6:53 a.m. (37 percent coverage)

Miami: 7:13 a.m. (57 percent coverage)

Atlanta: 7:26 a.m. (70 percent coverage)