Rare Total Lunar Eclipse to appear above Kansas, here's when

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Kansans looking to the sky on Nov. 8 in the predawn hours may catch sight of a rare astronomical event sometimes referred to as a Blood Moon.

27 News spoke with Brenda Culbertson, a Solar System Ambassador with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), about what people can expect to see on the night of Nov. 8. She said that a total lunar eclipse will appear in the sky, which occurs when the full moon passes into the Earth's umbral shadow, causing the moon to be blocked from direct sunlight. This causes the moon to glow a deep red color as red light is bent around Earth and reflected on the moon.

Culbertson said the lunar eclipse will be visible starting late Monday night and leading into Tuesday morning. The eclipse will enter the umbral stage at 3:09 a.m. for Kansas. This is the "most obvious" part of the eclipse, according to Culbertson. The full eclipse will begin at 4:16 a.m. with maximum eclipse occurring at 4:59 a.m. The full eclipse will end at 5:41 a.m. and the partial eclipse will end at 6:49 a.m. Culberston says that for people to enjoy the entire process, they should be watching the moon from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. on Nov. 8.

Culbertson recommends that those who want to get the best view of the lunar eclipse should avoid cities and find a remote site. No equipment is needed to see the eclipse and, unlike a solar eclipse, it is safe to view directly with your eyes with no protective eyewear. People will still be able to see the eclipse if they are located in a city but lights may interfere with the viewing.

This event is considered somewhat of a rarity as the next lunar eclipse will not occur until March 29, 2025, according to Culbertson. Unlike the total eclipse that people will see this year, the next eclipse will only be a partial one.