Here’s what it was like to watch the lunar eclipse over the weekend

On Sunday, at 5:45 a.m. EST, a total lunar eclipse of the moon passed across the Earth. Like an eclipse in the sky, the darkness on the moon also turns it red. In the U.S., “totality” lasted approximately two and a half hours, and was visible through 11 states, including the District of Columbia. Skywatchers all over the world were able to view the lunar event, with much of Europe and Africa too. This was the third total lunar eclipse to take place in a row, which means the total phase will soon end. From Europe, the U.K., Denmark, Portugal, Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, skywatchers were able to spot this natural spectacle.

“#TotalEclipse of the Moon in just 0.1 sec. … It was pretty cool!” tweeted NASA. “Another peak in the earth’s shadow with a red moon. Bring an eye protection.”

This was the third total lunar eclipse since April. Taken Sunday evening, near Gdansk, Poland. — NASA (@NASA) December 2, 2018

In Africa, hundreds gathered to view the full moon. Even as daylight faded in Malawi, South Africa, and Tanzania, skywatchers eagerly surveyed the moon for the eerie reddish glow that befell it. In parts of the U.S., the phenomenon could still be seen at 6:46 a.m. EST. A total eclipse of the moon occurs four times every year.

Take a look at this photo of an Oregon businessman watching the eclipse from the parking lot of a Kohler ski resort on Friday morning:

Additional Reporting by Los Angeles Times

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