Marylanders Can See A Total Lunar Eclipse Early Tuesday

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- It's going to take luck and an alarm clock to see, but there will be a total eclipse of the moon over Maryland early Tuesday morning.

Alex DeMetrick explains why it's called a blood moon.

A total eclipse of the moon is a game of shadows.

"That is where the moon is going to pass through the earth's shadow and actually go completely dark," said Dr. Brent Garry, Goddard Space Flight Center.

At its peak, the moon will take on a red glow. It's sunlight that creates the blood moon phenomenon.

"And that's because all the sunlight is coming through the earth's atmosphere, which represents all the sunrises and sunsets, actually reflecting it off the moon, so it kind of gives it this red blood or Game of Thrones feel to it," Garry said.

The earth's shadow and moon's shadow sync up twice a year to form a total eclipse. North America gets the best view this pass.

Unlike solar eclipses, which are studied by science, a lunar eclipse is not.

"It kind of just shows you how these little events almost create a little piece of artwork in the sky for us, that we can look at and enjoy," Garry said.

If it's blocked, Maryland will get a second eclipse in October.

The eclipse will start about 2 a.m. Tuesday and reach its peak at 3:45 a.m.

Other Local News: