Lunar Eclipse: When to Watch Wednesday

It’s your last chance to get in an eclipse if it’s on your 2012 to-do list.

A penumbral lunar eclipse will begin at 4:14 a.m. PST and end at 8:51 a.m. PST, according to timeanddate.com. 

In a penumbral lunar eclipse, the moon falls under the dim edge, or penumbra, of the Earth's shadow, instead of the main part of the shadow called the umbra. As a result, the moon's face grows a bit dimmer instead of showing a clearly defined disc moving across it as can be seen in a regular lunar eclipse.

“The start of the eclipse will not be visible to the naked eye,” said timeanddate.com. “For about 30 minutes before and after the eclipse’s maximum, a light grey shading will be seen along the moon’s northern limb.”

For viewing in Arcadia, note that Tuesday night will be partly cloudy with a low around 49 degrees and southwest wind around 6 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service.

If you want to watch live online, check out the space camera on Slooh.com, which will feature narration.