A landmark lunar event is happening this week, and it will truly be the first of its kind this century.
A record-long lunar eclipse will be visible Friday during the early hours of the morning.
Though it is a partial eclipse, around 97.4% of the moon will be covered for a stunning sight that will last for around 3 hours and 28 minutes, according to NASA.
Within that time frame, the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow — or the umbra — will be cast on the moon from 2:18 a.m. EST to 5:47 a.m. EST.
A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth passes between the sun and the moon, making the moon appear reddish in color.
Those who want to rise early for the peak of the eclipse, which is also referred to as a "Blood Moon," should be outside at around 4:00 a.m. EST.
Weather permitting, Michigan should have a pretty stellar view of the partial eclipse, as our region falls well within the visibility range.
The eclipse marks the second of 2021, following a total lunar eclipse that took place in May.
The majority of eclipses tend to last a maximum of two hours, so next week’s partial eclipse will truly be one of the books in terms of length.
In fact, it will the longest of this century between 2001 and 2100.
For those not willing to brave the outdoors overnight, L.A.'s Griffith Observatory will hold a live stream broadcast from 10 p.m. Thursday through 4:05 a.m. on Friday, weather permitting.
The observatory will not be conducting onside viewing and will not be open during the live stream.
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