A total lunar eclipse will appear in North Georgia early next week, so make sure you set your alarms for early Tuesday morning.
The eclipse will be a special one, leaving the moon glowing red for nearly an hour.
According to NASA, the total phase of the eclipse will be seen at different local times around the world: in the evening across eastern Asia and Australia, throughout the night in the Pacific, and in the early morning in North and Central America as well as the far western side of South America.
In Atlanta, the total eclipse will take place between 6:04 and 7:03 a.m. Tuesday. Totality—the moment the moon is fully in shadow—will peak at approximately 6:34 a.m.
The eclipse is caused by the Earth moving directly between the sun and the moon, casting Earth’s shadow on the moon, according to meteorologist Alex Forbes. During totality, the moon doesn’t disappear; instead, it turns a deep coppery red.
This color change happens because Earth’s atmosphere bends and filters sunlight. The shorter blue wavelengths scatter, while the longer red and orange wavelengths pass through and illuminate the moon. It is the same reason we see red sunsets.
NASA said skywatchers will not need any special equipment to observe the eclipse, just a clear line of sight to the moon, though binoculars or a telescope can enhance the view.
If you are taking photos, NASA suggests using a camera on a tripod with exposures of at least several seconds. Make sure to send your photos of the eclipse to FOX 5. Click here to submit them directly to us, and you may see them on air or online.
FOX Weather reports that skywatchers will get another treat on March 8 when they will be able to see a conjunction of Venus and Saturn.
