The Next Lunar Eclipse Will Be Visible From Washington And You Won’t Want To Miss Out

Good news, Washingtonians: We're about to kick off 2019 with a somewhat rare celestial event, a total lunar eclipse. In less than a week, the first and only blood moon of 2019 will occur -- and it will be fully visible from our state.

On January 20-21, the sky will be dominated by a total lunar eclipse, often called a blood moon.

This phenomenon occurs when the Earth's shadow blocks the sun's light, which otherwise reflects off the moon. When a total eclipse happens, the moon appears orange or red for awhile, hence the name.

Here's another cool fact: The first full moon of the year is called a wolf moon (according to the Old Farmer's Almanac). This means the coming eclipse is called the Super Blood Wolf Moon.

And while that sounds like something out of a horror story, the event will actually be beautiful. A total lunar eclipse only happens once every two years, so you won't want to miss this one.

The total lunar eclipse will last approximately five hours from the first signs of the partial eclipse to the end.

Here in Washington, the full eclipse begins at 8:41 p.m., with the maximum viewing time being 9:12. The full eclipse ends here at 9:43 p.m., and the whole thing will be over by about 11 p.m.

Your viewing experience will depend on the weather's cooperation -- you'll have better luck on a clear night.

The Super Blood Wolf Moon will be visible from all of North and South America and partially visible from almost everywhere in the world.

The total lunar eclipse is definitely worth seeing, even if you're not much of a night owl. If nothing else, it will remind you of how beautiful the Washington night sky is.