Look Up: A Nearly Total Eclipse of the Moon Happens Tonight

Skip the eclipse glasses tonight — you won't need them. A deep partial lunar eclipse sweeps across the sky starting this evening, dimming 96% of the moon into a dusky red glow visible to more than 3 billion people across the Americas, Europe and Africa.

The Moon Slips Into Earth's Shadow Overnight

The eclipse begins at 9:24 p.m. EDT, when the moon first enters the outer edge of Earth's shadow, though the real show doesn't start until 10:34 p.m. EDT, when it slides into the shadow's darker inner core and the visible partial eclipse begins. Maximum eclipse arrives at 12:13 a.m. EDT, with 96.2% of the moon's surface covered, leaving only a thin sliver glowing bright white along one edge while the rest of the moon takes on a dim orange or red hue.