When you look up in the Wyoming skies this Saturday morning, April 4th, you might see more than just a few clouds, because a total lunar eclipse is expected to occur in the wee hours of the morning.

According to the U.S. National Service, Cheyenne, Wyoming, if the weather cooperates, you’ll be able to see a total lunar eclipse, however, you’ll have to look fast, this eclipse is only expected to last less than five minutes, and according to Space.com, the eclipse is said to be “the shortest lunar eclipse of the century.” 

A lunar eclipse happens when the Moon passes through part of the shadow of the Earth, which causes the surface of the moon to turn dark when you view it from Earth. This Saturday, we’ll see it for ourselves. People east of the Mississippi river will only be able to see a partial eclipse due to the sunrise, but here, west of the Mississippi, we will be able to see the whole eclipse, including totality, which is when the moon is fully inside the earth’s shadow.

So how much of the eclipse will we be able to see in here in Wyoming?   The U.S. National Service, Cheyenne Wyoming says “For our general area, the Moon will set before coming out of the partial phase of the eclipse, after totality ends” 

According to this time table, these are the times that you can see phases of the eclipse this Saturday morning, April 4th:

At approximately 4:16 a.m., the partial eclipse begins.

At approximately 5:58 a.m., you’ll be able to see the total eclipse.

At approximately 6:03 a.m., the total eclipse will end.(so you’ll really need to be prepared to catch the total eclipse, since it’ll be a quick view!)

At 6:45 a.m., depending on location, this will be the time for the Moonset.

When you view the total eclipse, you’ll see a reddish shade on the moon, this happens when “the red part of the sunlight being bent through the atmosphere of the Earth and then reflecting off the surface of the Moon.”

The good news about this lunar eclipse is that unlike a solar eclipse, you won’t need to worry about viewing the eclipse using safety filters and other eye protection, this eclipse is completely safe for the naked eye to see this spectacular wonder.

This lunar eclipse is the third of four lunar eclipses that are occurring this season.  The next lunar eclipse will be on September 27th, 2015.

For more information on the lunar eclipse, check out this video on Space.com, and read more about the lunar eclipse in our area by checking out the Facebook page of the U.S. National Service, Cheyenne, Wyoming.

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