Ashland Skywatchers Can Catch a Near-Total ‘Blood Moon’ Tonight

ASHLAND, Va. — Skywatchers across Ashland and Central Virginia have a reason to stay up late Thursday night as a deep partial lunar eclipse puts on a dramatic show in the August sky.

Beginning Thursday evening, Aug. 27, the Moon will gradually pass through Earth's shadow, with nearly all of its surface eventually entering the planet's darkest region. At maximum eclipse, roughly 96% of the Moon's diameter will be covered by Earth's umbra, leaving only a thin, bright sliver while much of the Moon takes on the familiar reddish-orange color associated with a "blood moon."

The eclipse will be visible throughout Virginia and much of North and South America, as well as parts of Europe and Africa. Unlike a solar eclipse, no special eye protection is necessary to watch a lunar eclipse.

For Ashland-area viewers, the eclipse will unfold over several hours:

9:23 p.m. Thursday: The penumbral eclipse begins as the Moon enters Earth's outer shadow.

10:33 p.m.: The partial eclipse begins, and Earth's darker shadow will become clearly visible across the Moon.

12:12 a.m. Friday: Maximum eclipse. This is when viewers should see the most dramatic reddish-orange coloration.

1:51 a.m.: The partial eclipse ends as the Moon moves out of Earth's umbra.

3:01 a.m.: The penumbral eclipse concludes, officially ending the event.

For those who don't want to stay awake until the early morning hours, 11:40 p.m. to 12:40 a.m. should offer the best opportunity to catch the most impressive portion of the eclipse.

The reddish color occurs because sunlight passing through Earth's atmosphere is filtered and bent toward the Moon. Shorter blue wavelengths are scattered more readily, while longer red and orange wavelengths make it through the atmosphere and illuminate the lunar surface.

And unlike the total solar eclipse that crossed Greenland, Iceland, Spain and Portugal on Aug. 12, tonight's event is a lunar eclipse—meaning Ashland residents can simply step outside and look up. Weather could be the biggest obstacle for local viewers. Forecast conditions call for periods of cloud cover across Central Virginia Thursday night, but breaks in the clouds could provide opportunities to see the Moon during the eclipse's peak. So grab a chair, head somewhere with a clear view of the southeastern sky and look up. The best part of the show arrives just after midnight.