Total Lunar Eclipse To Occur Wednesday

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) –Beginning Tuesday night, the moon will move into earth's shadow for a total lunar eclipse. If you're up before the sunrise Wednesday morning, you may be able to catch it!

The lunar eclipse will be visible in Minnesota, but it will be very low on the horizon.

Best viewing spots will be up on a rooftop or a wide open field. Any trees or buildings might block the view because of how low the moon will be positioned.

The eclipse starts at 4:18 a.m. Wednesday morning and ends at 7:34 a.m.

The total eclipse begins at 5:27 a.m. with "mid-totality" at 5:55 a.m., ending at 6:22 a.m.

During the total eclipse the moon will appear to be a red or orange color, depending on particles in the atmosphere.

This particular eclipse has been called a "selenelion" because sunrise is at 7:20 a.m., leaving a brief window where both the moon and sun will be visible.

This is extremely rare for a lunar eclipse.

It's possible because the Earth's atmosphere refracts, or bends, light at a certain angle near the horizon, which creates an optical illusion.

To see that optical illusion, both the eastern and western horizons must be visible at the same time. The best spots would be on top of a mountain or in the middle of an ocean.

Read more about the eclipse on Lauren's Science Corner.