A Total Lunar Eclipse Will Be Visible in St. Louis Tuesday

Depending on your superstitions, this coming Election Day may be an ominous one. In the morning on Tuesday, November 8, there will be a blood moon, visible between 4:59 a.m. and 5:41 a.m.

While a blood moon sounds like a great time to practice witchcraft, it is actually just a lunar eclipse, when the moon moves into the Earth's shadow and becomes a coppery red color. The last total lunar eclipse was visible in St. Louis in May.

For early risers, the blood moon should be visible in the southwest if the skies are clear. Lunar eclipses are visible to the naked eye, but for a close-up view you can also use a telescope or even binoculars.

The eclipse begins with the moon entering the Earth’s penumbra, or the edges of the Earth’s shadow, around 2:02 a.m.  The moon will start to turn red as it enters the Earth’s umbra, or deep shadow, from 4:16 to 4:59 a.m. when the eclipse will be at its peak. All eclipsing will be finished by 5:41 a.m.

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