Longest partial lunar eclipse in 6 centuries to occur Friday morning
CTV
Early risers will be in for a treat on Friday morning as the longest partial lunar eclipse in nearly 600 years is will emerge.
A lunar eclipse takes place when the Earth, sun and moon align in a way that causes the Earth to cast a shadow onto the moon, making the moon appear reddish in colour.
NASA says the moon is expected to enter the umbra, or the inner part of the Earth's shadow, at around 2.18 a.m. EST.
Up to 97 per cent of the moon will be covered by the umbra at the peak of the eclipse at around 4:02 a.m. EST Since this is not a total lunar eclipse, the entirety of the moon will not be covered.
The eclipse is expected to end at around 5:47 a.m. EST, after lasting nearly three and a half hours. This makes it the longest partial lunar eclipse in 580 years, according to the Holcomb Observatory at Indiana's Butler University. NASA also says this partial lunar eclipse will be the longest one in the 21st century.
