posted 04-11-2014 04:10 PM               

NASA to Provide Live Coverage and Commentary of April 15 Lunar Eclipse

The public will have the opportunity to view and learn more about the Tuesday, April 15 total lunar eclipse on NASA television, the agency's website, and social media. Coverage begins at 2 a.m. EDT (0600 GMT) and will last about three hours. The eclipse's peak, when the moon will enter the Earth's full shadow or umbra, will occur at 3:45 a.m. EDT (0745 GMT).

The United States will be in a prime orbital position and time of day to view the eclipse. Depending on local weather conditions, the public will get a spectacular view looking into the sky as the moon's appearance will change from bright orange to blood red to dark brown and perhaps gray. The eclipse is a phenomenon that occurs when the Earth, moon and sun are in perfect alignment, blanketing the moon in the Earth's shadow. The United States will not be able to witness a full lunar eclipse in its entirety again until 2019.

Leading up to the eclipse, NASA will host a Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) on Monday, April 14 at 2 p.m. EDT (1800 GMT) with astronomers from the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center. Various NASA researchers also will be available for media interviews. NASA Twitter, Google+, Facebook, and Instagram followers will be able to join the conversation and ask questions using the hashtag #eclipse.

The public will be able to tag and share their images of the eclipsed moon on Instagram and on the agency's Flickr group.