The last total lunar eclipse of 2022 is passing over Louisville. How to get the best view

Caleb Stultz, Louisville Courier Journal
·2 min read

Kentuckians across the commonwealth will be in for a rare celestial treat during the early morning hours Tuesday as a total lunar eclipse crosses the skies on Election Day.

A total lunar eclipse only occurs when the sun, the moon and the Earth align perfectly so that the moon moves into the Earth's shadow, flooding the lunar surface with a copper tint ― which is why many also know the phenomenon as a "blood moon."

Tuesday's event is the second eclipse of 2022. There will not be another lunar eclipse until March 14, 2025, according to officials from NASA.

Stargazers won't require any special visual or protective equipment in order to view the eclipse. However, as the moon moves westward, NASA officials said those in Kentucky's time zones will have a harder time seeing the moon as it comes out of the eclipse as it will have set for us by the time the eclipse officially ends.

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When will Kentuckians be able to see the lunar eclipse?

  • 3:55 a.m.: The moon will begin its descent in behind the Earth as it travels west with very little coverage.

  • 4:44 a.m.: Nearly half the moon will be covered in a deep brown shadow, contrasted with its normal gray-white tint.

  • 5:17 a.m.: Totality begins, and the moon is nearly encapsulated in the copper tint of the sun's shine from behind the Earth.

  • 5:59 a.m.: Greatest eclipse. This is the moment all Kentuckians have been waiting for. The moon will be bathed in a copper glow that has only been seen once before this year.

  • 6:42 a.m.: Totality ends. The moon will begin to phase out of the eclipse and hints of red will still be able to be seen. However as the moon moves west, Kentuckians will see less and less of the moon after each hour.

  • 7:14 a.m.: The moon returns to its half-partial eclipse as it had at 4:44 a.m.

  • 8:05 a.m.: The moon is back to its penumbral state.

Monday night going into Tuesday morning should be partly cloudy, allowing for a mostly clear view of the event, according to the National Weather Service of Louisville.

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Contact Caleb Stultz at cstultz@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Caleb_Stultz.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: How to see Election Day total lunar eclipse blood moon from Louisville