By AccuWeather staff writer
Published May 16, 2022 12:17 PM EDT | Updated May 16, 2022 12:17 PM EDT
The moon turned deep red on Sunday night into Monday morning during the first lunar eclipse of 2022, giving stargazers a show that they won't soon forget. The moon appeared to transform in the sky just after the sun had set over North America on Sunday with the sun, Earth and moon perfectly aligning by 11:30 p.m. EDT.
Also known as a "Blood Moon," this total lunar eclipse appeared to turn a dark red at the height of the event because the light reflected off the moon.
"During a lunar eclipse, the moon turns red because the only sunlight reaching the moon passes through Earth's atmosphere," NASA explained. "The more dust or clouds in Earth's atmosphere during the eclipse, the redder the Moon will appear."
While the lunar eclipse was viewable from most of Africa, western Europe, South America and North America, spectators got the best view in cloud-free conditions. Folks that found themselves under a cloudy sky were still able to watch the mesmerizing event on the AccuWeather Astronomy Facebook page.
In this collection of photos, the moon is shown during a full lunar eclipse, upper left, and then at various stages as it emerges from the earth's shadow, Sunday, May 15, 2022, near Moscow, Idaho. The orange color of the moon is caused by the Moon passing into the shadow of the Earth. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
The total lunar eclipse lasted about five hours, with totality, which is when the moon is fully in Earth's shadow, lasting roughly 85 minutes.
Since May's full moon is often nicknamed the "Flower Moon" due to the abundance of flowers throughout the month, some people called this the "Flower Blood Moon."
Sunday night's spectacle was the first of two opportunities to see a total lunar eclipse from the United States this year.
Another Blood Moon is set to rise over most of North America again on Nov. 8. The moon will be setting across the eastern U.S. and Atlantic Canada just as the eclipse's total phase begins, which means people from Florida to Maine will see only a brief part of the second eclipse. Meanwhile, most of the central and western U.S. will be able to see the entire eclipse.
After November, the next total lunar eclipse won't be visible anywhere in the world until March 13, 2025.
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