How to See an Eclipse of the Moon (Lunar Eclipse)

It's a treat to see a total lunar eclipse. Even a partial one is a novelty and worth staying up late to see. Here's how to view these oddities.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. 

   If you want to see the full lunar eclipse, then mark your calendar for December 21, 2010. That's when the next one will be according to NASA. Hope for a cloudless evening, so you can see the show when the moon goes into eclipse.

2. 

   You don't need any special telescopes or screening for viewing an eclipse of the moon. You can safely watch it with just your eyes (unlike a solar eclipse). If you own binoculars, you can view it through those.

3. 

   If you live in an area with lots of lights like a city, you may need to find a rural area to get the best view of the eclipse. Anywhere away from the bright lights is better viewing.

4. 

   There are more opportunities to see a partial lunar eclipse than to see a full eclipse. I've included a link below that gives the dates for upcoming partial lunar eclipses.

Resources

• Directions for photographing an eclipse
• Dates and the science of eclipses

[Kimi]

on 4/17/2009 Thanks for the article, I love watching a lunar eclipse...intriguing. *****

[lifeengineer]

on 3/10/2009 Thanks for the great article. We hope to be able to see the next eclipse.

[sonni57]

on 3/9/2009 Wonderful article on the lunar eclipse. It's been a while since I've seen one they are awesome.

[Devero]

on 3/1/2009 Nice article, I love eclipses

[keytothestars]

on 2/28/2009 Awesome, I love looking at the moon and eclipses make it even more fascinating. Thanks!