
Audio By Carbonatix
A total lunar eclipse will turn the moon blood red on Friday July 27, but even if the celestial show isn’t visible from your corner of the world, there are still ways to watch the eclipse live.
The entire event will last 3 hours and 55 minutes. The period when the moon is completely engulfed in Earth's shadow — a phenomenon known as totality — will last 1 hour and 43 minutes, making it the longest total lunar eclipse of this century.
“This eclipse is special because just by chance it happens that the moon will cross the shadow of the Earth almost along its diameter, which makes the eclipse a few minutes longer than usual,” Francisco Diego, an astronomer at University College London in the U.K., told NBC News.
During totality, which begins at around 3:30 p.m. EDT (19:30 UTC), the moon will be immersed in Earth's shadow and will be “illuminated by red light filtered by the [Earth's] atmosphere,” Diego said. For this eclipse, Diego says skywatchers can expect to see a “bright red-orange moon."
Refer to the picture below for visibility in Ghana
Skywatchers can witness the eclipse in parts of South America, the Middle East, eastern Africa and central Asia. The sky show will not be visible from North America, but there's still a way to catch all the action surrounding the "blood moon" online. NBC News will be hosting a livestream — part of a digital special hosted by Simone Boyce called "Space Is Awesome" — starting at 4 p.m. EDT (20:00 UTC).

If you happen to be in the Eastern Hemisphere, you’re in luck. According to NASA, the best places to witness the celestial event from start to finish are eastern Africa, the Middle East, India and central Asia. Skywatchers in southern Africa and the Middle East will be able to see totality around midnight local time. Viewers in central Asia will see the moon pass into Earth’s shadow at 10:44 p.m. local time and can expect the eclipse to peak at around midnight.

The sky show will be partially visible as the moon rises just after sunset in parts of Europe, West Africa and South America. In eastern Asia, Australia, and parts of the western Pacific, the eclipse will be visible before sunrise on July 28, as the moon sets.
Lunar eclipses occur up to three times a year, so if you miss Friday's week's sky show, there will be other opportunities in the future. The next total lunar eclipse will happen on Jan. 21, 2019, and will be visible from North America, South America, and parts of Africa, Europe and the central Pacific. The period of totality for this eclipse will last 1 hour and 2 minutes. Skywatchers in South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia will also be able to see a partial lunar eclipse on July 16, 2019.
Latest Stories
-
Real Madrid vs Bayern München Champions League preview: Where to watch, predicted line-ups, form, coaches’ thoughts
5 minutes -
CIB Ghana Post-MPC policy seminar urges action to turn macroeconomic stability into jobs
7 minutes -
Maguire signs one-year contract at Man Utd
10 minutes -
GACL chairman says airport levy to fund projects, completion targeted within 24 months
23 minutes -
Sugar sacks now used to bag cocoa under Mahama government – Annoh-Dompreh raises concerns
28 minutes -
President Mahama will sign LGBTQ Bill when it reaches him — NDC’s Wonder Madilo
29 minutes -
NADMO issues alert on Chlorine gas leak at Baifikrom Water Treatment Plant
32 minutes -
Airport congestion, ageing facilities justify new levy — GACL Chairman
44 minutes -
Runway at risk: GACL Chair warns of potential downgrade and sewage disaster at Accra Int’l Airport
47 minutes -
Annoh-Dompreh leads Minority Caucus tour to spotlight cocoa sector challenges
48 minutes -
Adorye urges government to safeguard fuel supply amid global tensions
1 hour -
Agalga reveals regional airports are bleeding and survive on Accra International Airport subsidies
1 hour -
Western North police arrest 4 suspected fake National Security operatives over alleged mining site raid
1 hour -
We cannot build an aviation hub on 2010 rates – Agalga defends new airport levies
1 hour -
Fighters leadership undergoes systems training in Project Management at Cambridge Centre of Excellence
2 hours