The place and time of the longest partial lunar eclipse of the century 0:59
(CNN) -
It's today, it's today!
(Or, rather, between the night of this Thursday and the early hours of Friday).
Lovers of astronomical phenomena in North America and northeastern Russia will be able to see a historic event: a partial lunar eclipse that will be the longest in more than 500 years.
According to NASA, it will be the longest partial lunar eclipse in more than 500 years, lasting more than six hours from Thursday night to Friday morning.
What is a lunar eclipse, what types are there, when are the next eclipses and other information you should know
What is a partial lunar eclipse?
A partial lunar eclipse occurs when part of the full moon falls under Earth's shadow (unlike the total lunar eclipse in May): more than 97% of the Moon will be covered at the peak of the eclipse, according to NASA .
The eclipse can be divided into penumbral and threshold phases, according to Sky & Telescope magazine.
The penumbra is the outer edge of the Earth's shadow, which lasts more than six hours, and the umbra is the deepest part of the shadow, which lasts for 3 and a half hours.
Where can it be seen?
As already mentioned, the eclipse will be seen mainly in North America and northeastern Russia;
however, some parts of South America will be able to see the eclipse at moonset, and some parts of East Asia and Australia will be able to see the eclipse at moonrise.
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The United States will be one of the ideal countries to see the astronomical phenomenon, as long as there are no clouds.
We can expect clear skies across the northeastern US, the mid-Atlantic, and from Michigan and Ohio to Texas, CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said.
Another of the lucky countries will be Mexico.
Most of western Mexico, and southern Baja California to Mazatlán will also have a clear view.
The eclipse in other regions of North America - most of the southeast, from the High Plains to the West Coast and most of New England and Canada - could be obscured by clouds.
But do not be completely discouraged.
"It's a very long eclipse, so have a little patience and try to stay warm," Myers said.
What time?
If you want to know if you will be able to see the eclipse in your exact location, visit the website timeanddate.com.
Click on the link and, once you are there, just type the name of your city (in English or Spanish) where it says "Search for a location".
This is a good tool, as it shows you if it will be cloudy or not in your location;
the local time each phase of the eclipse will occur;
and even an animation of what it will look like.
In general, NASA expects the eclipse to peak at 4:03 am (Miami time) on Friday.
The eclipse will begin at 1:03 am (Miami), but the darkening of the moon will not be noticeable until 2:19 am, when the moon falls under the Earth's umbra.
With information from CNN's Sherry Liang.
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