--- title: Total Lunar Eclipse Guide: Best Times to See the Blood Moon description: Most of the world except the U.S. will see the longest lunar eclipse of the century. Here's everything you need to know about the blood moon canonical: https://time.com/5328804/july-2018-lunar-eclipse-date/ author: Gabby Raymond article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-07-03T20:16:38.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-12T18:57:10.000Z article:section: Science og:title: Practically Everyone in the World Will See the Longest Eclipse of the Century Today og:description: Here's everything you need to know og:url: https://time.com/5328804/july-2018-lunar-eclipse-date/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt886e7138a7aa5795/69893485fb4eac5ea489706b/july-27-total-lunar-eclipse.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4288 og:image:height: 2412 og:image:alt: July-2018-Total-Lunar-Eclipse og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Practically Everyone in the World Will See the Longest Eclipse of the Century Today twitter:description: Here's everything you need to know twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt886e7138a7aa5795/69893485fb4eac5ea489706b/july-27-total-lunar-eclipse.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Practically Everyone in the World Will See the Longest Eclipse of the Century Today. 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Future Proof is TIME's weekly climate and energy newsletter, written by senior correspondent Justin Worland. It connects the energy transition to the decisions reshaping business, technology, policy and markets. #### Where can I follow the energy transition as a business story? Future Proof covers climate and energy as an economic and business story rather than only an environmental one. It publishes every Friday and is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who writes Future Proof? Justin Worland, a senior correspondent at TIME and an award-winning climate journalist, writes Future Proof. #### Is Future Proof free? Yes. Future Proof is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-futureproof-2026q3/newsletters?i=3aedb3a4-2ab3-4c45-b265-c109444adab0&cr=time-nl-futureproof-2026q3-v1) ## Video: The Longest Lunar Eclipse of the Century [Watch (HLS stream): The Longest Lunar Eclipse of the Century](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/YZn3r5uB.m3u8) (3:07)  _Published 2018-07-25. Most of the world will get to see a total lunar eclipse this week._ by [Gabby Raymond](https://time.com/author/gabby-raymond/) ## Gabby Raymond Updated: Dec 12, 2023 6:57 PM UTCPublished: Jul 3, 2018 8:16 PM UTC by [Gabby Raymond](https://time.com/author/gabby-raymond/) ## Gabby Raymond Updated: Dec 12, 2023 6:57 PM UTCPublished: Jul 3, 2018 8:16 PM UTC The longest total lunar eclipse of the century is set to dazzle most of the world, except the U.S., just shy of a year after the[ 2017 solar eclipse](http://time.com/4900280/total-solar-eclipse-2017-video-watch/) created a path of totality across America. The July 2018 eclipse — which is happening on Friday, July 27 — will last about four hours and be visible across wide swaths of the world including Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, South America and the Middle East. The totality, or when the earth’s shadow covers the moon and creates complete darkness, will last one hour and 43 minutes. While many people will be able to see partial views of the eclipse — which will feature a blood moon and also coincides with spectacular views of Mars — in areas throughout eastern Africa, the Middle East and some parts of Europe and Asia will have some of the [best views of the moon turning red](http://time.com/5304517/best-places-to-see-july-2018-lunar-eclipse/) and when the totality begins to recede, astronomers tell TIME. Here’s everything you need to know about how to view the July 27 total lunar eclipse including the best times and places to see it and how long it will last. ## What is a total lunar eclipse? A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth comes between the moon and the sun, causing the earth’s shadow to cover the moon. [According to NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/total-lunar-eclipse), the moon often turns reddish during totality because the sunlight bending through earth’s atmosphere during sunsets and sunrises are then reflected onto the moon.  A total solar eclipse occurs on August 21, 2017, at Mary's River Covered Bridge, in Chester, IL, USA. NurPhoto—NurPhoto via Getty Images The “blood moon” will be a much different view than the [2017 solar eclipse](http://time.com/4750899/total-solar-eclipse/), which darkened the skies for a few minutes as the moon passed in front of the sun. The July 27 total lunar eclipse will also be seen by many more people than last year’s eclipse. Solar eclipses are typically only seen by a small selection of the earth’s population because the shadow cast by the moon is comparatively smaller than that cast by the earth. That means anyone who is on the side of the earth that is experiencing nighttime will be able to see the lunar eclipse whereas a solar eclipse can only be seen by the people who are where the moon’s shadow falls. Because solar eclipses are seen by a much smaller section of the population, and the view of the blocked sun is so breathtaking, they create[ a lot of fanfare](http://time.com/4910353/solar-eclipse-netflix-tweet-viewership/). The [January 31 super blue blood moon](http://time.com/5126611/super-blue-blood-moon-pictures-2018/) that occurred earlier this year was also a total lunar eclipse, but it coincided with two other events to make a lunar trifecta. [According to NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/feature/super-blue-blood-moon-coming-jan-31), on top of the reddish tint given to the moon from the eclipse, the moon was also very close to earth’s orbit, making it appear larger and brighter. It was also the second full moon of the month, which is referred to as a blue moon. But the upcoming total lunar eclipse on July 27 is also special because of the duration of its totality. According to Dr. Amanda Bosh, a professor of astronomy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the moon will be at its furthest point from earth, called the apogee, during the eclipse. This will cause the moon to move slower than it would if it was closer to earth — so the totality of the eclipse will last for one hour and 43 minutes. The July 27 lunar eclipse is supposed to be the longest in the century. It is only four minutes shorter than the the longest possible lunar eclipse to occur on earth, according to NASA. ## Is it safe to look at the total lunar eclipse without special glasses? It is perfectly safe to look at a lunar eclipse with just the naked eye. Protective eyewear was recommended during the solar eclipse to protect people’s eyes from the bright light of the sun. But during a lunar eclipse, the glow of the moon has a much less intense brightness than the sun. ## When is the best time to see the 2018 total lunar eclipse? Dr. Bosh recommends going outside at [different times throughout the night](http://time.com/5336078/what-time-is-the-lunar-eclipse/) on July 27 to catch every stage of the eclipse. Those with the best views will be able to see the lunar eclipse at key moments — when earth’s shadow begins to cover the moon, when the moon turns red, and when the shadow begins to recede, all of which will happen over a period of four hours. Where is the best place to see the 2018 total lunar eclipse? Those lucky enough to see the 2018 lunar eclipse could also be treated to a view of Mars and the Milky Way, which will be to the left of the moon. With the light of the moon blocked by earth’s shadow, it’s the perfect time to [view stars and celestial bodies](http://time.com/universe-space-photos/) not often seen by the naked eye. ## Will the U.S. be able to see this lunar eclipse? No, the July 27 total lunar eclipse won’t be visible in the U.S. The [next lunar eclipse that can be seen in America](http://time.com/5337581/next-lunar-eclipse/) will be on January 21, 2019. But while Americans won’t see the blood moon on Friday, they will be able to see Mars, which is currently [the closest its been to Earth in the last 15 years](http://time.com/5314686/mars-close-approach/). The Red Planet will be much larger and brighter than it usually throughout the weekend. ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] On July 27 almost every part of the world Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, South America even Antarctica will be treated to the longest total lunar eclipse And roughly a 100 years. During this time, the usually silvery moon will turn a blood red. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the sun and the moon casting a shadow across the entire lunar disks. The moon is not blooded out completely, but instead turns a deep red. Sometimes called a blood moon. As the Sun streams through Earth's atmosphere, allowing only the red wavelengths to pass. To learn more about the science of eclipses and why this one is special, Time editor at large, Jeffrey Kluger, spoke with American Museum of Natural Histories research associate, Emily Rice. Last summer, the United States was treated to a rare solar eclipse. This summer almost every other part of the world except the U. S. will be treated to a lunar eclipse lasting up to one hour and 43 minutes. A lunar eclipse is what happens. This is when the Earth blocks out the light from the sun that would normally be reflected off the full moon and that creates a total lunar eclipse. When all of the illuminated part of the moon is blocked by the Earth's shadow. When it's the Earth doing the blocking, the Earth has an atmosphere and so actually what we see is some of the red light that's kind of scattered through the Earth's atmosphere that still makes it into the shadow creating that red effect on the surface of the moon. [ MUSIC ] And if the sun were just a little bit bigger where the moon a bit farther away total solar eclipses may never occur, but they do and it's the reason eclipses are refered to as celestial phenomenon. The earth shadow is always there. But the earth shadow is always exactly on the ecliptic and the moon is usually a little bit above and below the ecliptic. And so they have to be exactly lined up in other for a total lunar eclipse to happen. What is significant in particular about this year. This eclipse This one is actually one of the longer lunar eclipses that we're ever going to be able to see. And that's really because the moon is going to be going really along the ecliptic and through the widest part of the world's shadow. The full moon will spend a longer time in that total phase of the eclipse and that will be very interesting. So this eclipse is not going to be visible for any of North America. The best places are going to be eastern South America. And then Western Europe Western Africa, and that's because this eclipse will be visible at moonrise in these areas. So at sunset. Those lucky enough to catch this years eclipse could also get a glimpse of Mars and the Milky Way. Sadly by the time night falls in North America and the moon rises here, the eclipse will already have end. but as 2018's If you can still catch the astrological marvel on a live webcast and while there are usually two to or three lunar eclipses in a given year it's hard not to be in awe of the wonder that proved Einstein's theory of relativity. The moon is really our celestial partner out in space and so it's nice that people are taking the excuse of a lunar excuse to pay attention to the moon. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5328804/july-2018-lunar-eclipse-date/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5328804/july-2018-lunar-eclipse-date/"},"headline":"Practically Everyone in the World Will See the Longest Eclipse of the Century Today. 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