According to NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador to Utah Patrick Wiggins, the evening of Sunday, May 15, Utahans will be treated to a total eclipse of the moon.

While the best viewing will be from locations with a very low southeastern horizon and away from the glare of urban light pollution most everyone in Utah will be able to see at least parts of the eclipse.

8:27 p.m. — Partial eclipse starts but moon below the horizon.

9:29 p.m. — Total eclipse starts but moon on or slightly below the horizon.

10:11 p.m. — Maximum eclipse with moon low in the SE sky.

10:53 p.m. — Total eclipse ends, partial eclipse begins.

11:55 p.m. — Partial eclipse ends.

Wiggins says that since this eclipse will happen so close to sunset and with the moon so low in the sky observers, especially in light polluted areas, may not see the colors usually associated with total lunar eclipses. However he notes that another total lunar eclipse is coming up in November and that one will happen when the moon will be higher up in a much darker middle-of-the-night sky.

Eclipses of the moon happen when the moon passes into the shadow of the Earth.

Unlike eclipses of the sun that require special viewing equipment, eclipses of the moon are safe to observe with no special equipment and require nothing more than a desire to look (and clear skies).

The next partial solar eclipses visible from Utah will happen in October 2023 and April 2024 while the next total solar eclipse visible from the Beehive State will not occur until 2045.

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