Lunar Eclipse Set to Light Up Montana’s Big Sky This Weekend

If you're looking up this weekend at the night sky, you may notice something peculiar about the Moon. The red hue may attract spectators across Big Sky Country to the gorgeous lunar eclipse in the sky. Because of its low position in the sky, though, you may not see it early, so we hope you'll stay awake to see it.

Totality is expected just past 9 p.m.

According to the website, TimeAndDate.com, the lunar eclipse is set to be visible to Montanans on May 15 and isn't expected to be visible until approximately 8:47 p.m. when the eclipse is in partial totality. Full totality will take place just before 9:30 p.m. and will be visible from the Southeast, as long as there are no clouds blocking views.

A lunar eclipse happens when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned such that the Moon is partially or completely covered by the umbra, or shadow, made by the Earth. When the Moon is inside the umbra, it takes on a reddish hue and the phenomenon is nicknamed a "Blood Moon" as a result.

Lunar eclipses are more common than Solar eclipses.

The last time Montana got to witness a total lunar eclipse was just last year and was also a Supermoon, which is when the Moon is the closest it can get to the Earth. However, the last time Montana got to see a solar eclipse was in 2017 when a total solar eclipse crossed paths with the majority of the United States. Such an event won't take place again until 2024.

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If you can see the lunar eclipse, take some photos and send them over to us. We want to see all the amazing Blood Moon photos Montanans can take.