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Total Lunar Eclipse: When To Look Up

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Valley stargazers are in for a special treat tonight: a total lunar eclipse.

It's the first total lunar eclipse visible to North America since Dec. 2010.

Interestingly, the eclipse will be one of four consecutive total lunar eclipses to take place in 2014 and 2015, according to NASA.

The show will begin at 9:53 p.m. with the penumbral eclipse. Don't expect to see much at this time, however. Around 10:50 p.m., when the partial eclipse begins, is when things get really interesting. The moon will look like it is being eaten, as more and more of the Earth's shadow covers the moon.

NASA says that the time of greatest eclipse will be at 12:45 a.m. Tuesday. At this point, the moon will appear to turn red (earning its nickname as a "Blood Moon"), with the only light hitting the moon being the light that is bending around the Earth.

A full timetable is below:

Penumbral Eclipse Begins: 09:53 p.m.

Partial Eclipse Begins: 10:58 p.m.

Total Eclipse Begins: 12:06 a.m. (Tuesday)

Greatest Eclipse: 12:45 a.m.

Total Eclipse Ends: 01:24 a.m.

Partial Eclipse Ends: 02:33 a.m.

Penumbral Eclipse Ends: 3:37 a.m.

(Courtesy NASA. All times PST)

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