Clear skies permitting, Southwest Colorado and surrounding areas will witness a total lunar eclipse early Tuesday morning, the last of its kind for nearly three years.
As Earth positions itself between the sun and the moon, the region will be among several places across the globe able to see the eclipse. For 58 minutes, the full moon will be in total eclipse as the sun’s rays filter through Earth’s atmosphere and cast orange light across its surface.
“It will be a gorgeous blood moon eclipse in the lower western sky until it disappears over the western horizon at sunrise,” said local weather spotter Jim Andrus.
He and many others across the American, Asian and Australian continents will rise to watch the moon enter total eclipse at 4:04 a.m. Mountain time. Totality will last until 5:02 a.m.
“I normally wake up at that time so I’m certainly going to be looking out my bedroom window at least,” Andrus said.
The eclipse is best viewed under clear skies, though clouds may limit visibility for residents in the Four Corners region. At 4 a.m., the chance of cloud cover blocking the sky in Cortez is 20%, according to National Weather Service forecaster Kate Abbott. The likelihood is similar around the Four Corners and increases to the northeast.
“The better chances will be as south and west as you can get in Colorado,” Abbott said of those hoping for clear skies.
Even if clouds move through, viewers may still catch glimpses of the moon.
“It might be one of those things where you get a peak in between those clouds that are passing through,” Abbott said.
Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse can be viewed safely with the naked eye. NASA recommends finding a dark environment and using binoculars or a telescope to enhance the experience.
The next total lunar eclipse visible in the United States will not occur until late 2028, so Andrus encourages anyone interested to set an early alarm to see Tuesday’s event.
“Let’s hope we can get a clear sky tomorrow before sunrise,” Andrus said.
avanderveen@the-journal.com
