Skywatchers across the Quad Cities and much of the Midwest will have a chance to see a dramatic partial lunar eclipse Thursday night, Aug. 27. The full moon will pass through Earth’s shadow, with about 96% of the Moon covered at the peak of the eclipse, creating a reddish-orange appearance often called a “blood moon.”
In Iowa, the partial eclipse begins around 10:12 p.m., reaches its peak shortly after 11 p.m., and ends around 12:13 a.m. Friday, with the moon remaining in earth’s lighter outer shadow until about 2 a.m
The eclipse is safe to view with the naked eye, and no special equipment is required. For the best view, find a location away from bright lights with an unobstructed view of the sky and look toward the moon throughout the evening. NASA says the Aug. 27-28 eclipse will be visible across much of the Americas, as well as parts of Europe and Africa.
