Mark Your Calendars: Lunar Eclipse to Grace the Skies on May 5, 2023

A penumbral lunar eclipse will occur on May 5, visible from anywhere on the globe where the moon is over the horizon, except for North America, South America, and most of Europe. During the eclipse, the moon will darken but not completely disappear as it passes into the lighter outer region of the Earth's shadow. This can lead to subtle and difficult-to-observe events, but sometimes the entire lunar face moves into the penumbra, causing a more extreme dimming that can be seen more easily by the unaided eye. The last time a penumbral eclipse was visible from the contiguous U.S. was on Nov. 30, 2020, and the next time such an event will be visible from this region of the globe will be on March 25, 2024.