By Joe Rao
 
updated 2 hours, 30 minutes ago

For the third time in the past year, the moon will become completely immersed in Earth's shadow on Wednesday night, resulting in a total lunar eclipse.

As is the case with all lunar eclipses, the region of visibility encompasses more than half of our planet. Nearly a billion people in the Western Hemisphere, more than 1.5 billion in Europe and Africa, and perhaps another half-billion in western Asia will be able to watch weather permitting as the brilliant midwinter full moon becomes a shadow of its former self and morphs into a glowing coppery ball.

Almost everyone in the Americas and Western Europe will have a beautiful view of this eclipse if bad weather doesn't spoil the show. The moon will be high in a dark evening sky as viewed from most of the United States and Canada, at a time when most people are still awake and about.

The main event begins at 9:01 p.m. ET, when the moon is completely covered by the darkest part of Earth's shadow. That translates to 8:01 p.m. CT, 7:01 p.m. MT and 6:01 p.m. PT. The total phase of the eclipse lasts 51 minutes, and the moon starts coming out of the darkest shadow, or umbra, at 9:52 p.m. ET.

Local conditions

The only problematic area will be along the Oregon and northern California coast, where the initial partial stage of the eclipse will already be under way when the moon rises and the sun sets on Wednesday evening. But if you have an open view low to the east, even this situation will only add to the drama for as twilight fades, West Coast residents will see the shadow-bitten moon coming into stark view low above the landscape. By late twilight, the Western observers will have a fine view of the totally eclipsed lunar disk glowing red and dim, low in the eastern sky.

Alaskans will also see the moon rise during the eclipse; in fact, much of western Alaska will see the moon rise while completely immersed in Earth's shadow.

For Hawaiians, moonrise unfortunately comes just after the end of totality, with the moon gradually ascending the sky and its gradual emergence from the shadow readily visible.

Western Europe and Africa also will get a good view of the eclipse, but at a less convenient time: before dawn on Thursday morning.

Total triangle
Moreover, this eclipse comes with a rare bonus. The planet Saturn (magnitude +0.2) and the bright bluish star Regulus (magnitude +1.4) will form a broad triangle with the moon's ruddy disk.

Careful watchers will notice the moon changing its position with respect to the star and planet as it moves eastward through Earth's shadow.

Saturn's position will also depend somewhat on your location. Seen from North America, the great ringed planet will be 3.5 degrees above and to the left of the moon's center at midtotality. At the same moment, Regulus will sit just 2.8 degrees above and to the right of the moon.