Before we get into when you can observe tomorrow’s lunar eclipse, let’s first define what one is. According to NASA, a lunar eclipse “occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that the Moon passes into Earth’s shadow.”
However, tomorrow’s lunar spectacle will be so deep that it almost qualifies as a total lunar eclipse which occurs when the Moon passes through the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow, better known as the umbra.
Peak visibility for New Yorkers will be at 4:03 a.m., November 19th. However, if you’re not an early riser or an extreme night owl, you might still get a glimpse because the eclipse doesn’t end until 7:04 a.m.
Lasting 3 hours 28 minutes and 23 seconds, tomorrow’s eclipse breaks monumental records. There hasn’t been a longer partial lunar eclipse since 1440! And according to NASA, it will remain the longest for the next 648 years (until the year 2669).
NASA explains that there are two reasons the eclipse will last so long: the Moon’s orbital speed & it being an ‘almost-total’ eclipse. Therefore, the Moon will move spend more time and move slower than normal through the Earth’s shadow.
In addition to the eclipse, gazers will be able to make out the Pleiades star cluster, the Hyades cluster, & the bright star Aldebara in the sky.