A total lunar eclipse will be visible in the Western Hemisphere overnight Thursday, with the best views in North America and South America.
Skywatchers in Africa and parts of Europe may also be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the celestial spectacle.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth, the moon and the sun line up and the Earth’s shadow blocks, or eclipses, the moon.
The moon will look like a coppery red ball in the sky, a phenomenon known as the blood moon. The moon’s color is the result of stray bits of sunlight filtering through Earth’s atmosphere.
Skywatchers won’t need any special equipment, glasses or gadgets to see the eclipse, although binocul