Lunar Eclipse This Week Will Be Visible From Louisiana

(KMDL-FM) Mother Nature has something she would like to show us. It's one of her "best tricks" and has been fooling mankind since the dawn of our time on the planet. What we once thought were evil spirits dancing across the nighttime sky, we now know by the name lunar eclipse. There will be one of those later this week.

What Is a Lunar Eclipse and Is It Dangerous To Be Outside When It Happens?

A lunar eclipse occurs when the brightness of the moon in the night sky is covered by the Earth's shadow as our planet moves directly in line with the sun and the moon. The shadow creeping across the face of the moon has terrified and fascinated people for eons.

several moons — Photo by Claudio Testa on Unsplash

In today's modern world, we are less fearful about an eclipse causing a famine or pestilence and probably more worried about what kind of bug spray we'll need since we'll have to be outside to watch the eclipse unfold. So, other than mosquitoes, you really have nothing to worry about.

The bulk of the heavenly body sky show will take place as we transition from Thursday night into Friday morning here in Louisiana. The experts at NASA say most of us will observe the moon being covered, almost completely, by the shadow of the Earth.

What Is the Timeline For Viewing the Lunar Eclipse on Thursday?

Here is a timeline of when things will unfold across the region; all times are Central Daylight Time, which is Louisiana time.

8:23 PM Thursday: Faint shading and shadowing begin as the Earth's shadow begins to creep across the outer edges of the moon.

9:33 PM Thursday: The partial eclipse officially begins. Observers should start to notice the appearance of the moon growing darker.

11:12 PM Thursday: Maximum Eclipse occurs; roughly 93% to 96% of the lunar surface will be covered by the umbral shadow of the Earth.

12:51 AM Friday: The partial phase ends

2:01 AM Friday: All faint shading of the Lunar surface has ended.

Do You Need Special Equipment or Glasses to View the Lunar Eclipse on Thursday?

This is not one of those celestial events that requires you to purchase or utilize special viewing equipment. You can watch the eclipse unfold with the naked eye, or you may observe the phenomenon through binoculars or a telescope.

Unfortunately for sky watchers in South Louisiana, sky conditions might not be that great for watching the eclipse unfold. After almost two weeks with minimal rainfall, Thursday, Thursday night, and early Friday morning hold one of the area's largest rain chances in recent weeks.

Get our free mobile app

This could mean an abundance of clouds, which would block your view. But just in case we do have breaks in the clouds, you'll want to have an unobstructed view of the southeastern horizon; that is where you will see the moon rising and ultimately the partial lunar eclipse. And since you're going to be up late, you might get hungry. It's our pleasure.

Lafayette Late Night Eats - 10 Perfect Spots for the "After Party"

Lafayette and South Louisiana have a rather vibrant nightlife scene. We're always hosting festivals, concerts, fundraisers, dances, and parties. That means when those events are done, we need a place to go grab a snack, a meal, a sandwich, or just something to soak up some of the "party beverages". We think we've found 10 great places that don't mind you coming in at midnight or later. Here are Lafayette's 10 Best Spots for Late Night Eats.

Gallery Credit: Bruce Mikells