October 2014 Blood Moon: Total Lunar Eclipse Coverage

The moon is seen in mid-eclipse on Oct. 8, 2014 in this photo from the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, Illinois.
The moon is seen in mid-eclipse on Oct. 8, 2014 in this photo from the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, Illinois. The image was captured at 4:50 a.m. CDT as the moon neared the peak of a total lunar eclipse, the second of 2014. (Image credit: Adler Planetarium)

A total lunar eclipse is set to rise above people across a large swath of the world early Wednesday (Oct. 8). Weather permitting, people in North America, Australia, western South America and parts of East Asia will be able to see the total lunar eclipse. Sometimes, when the moon dips into Earth's shadow during an eclipse, the natural satellite takes on a coppery-red color, leading some people to dub it a "blood moon." The eclipse should reach totality just before sunrise at about 6:25 a.m. EDT (1025 GMT) on the east coast of the United States. Watch the Live Webcast.

Updates for Oct. 8: 'Blood Moon' Photos: Total Lunar Eclipse Thrills Skywatchers
The amazing total lunar eclipse thrilled skywatchers areound the world. See some of the amazing photos they sent in to Space.com here.

'Blood Moon' Photos: 1st Views of the Total Lunar Eclipse  
See the first photos of the amazing total lunar eclipse here. If you snap an amazing picture of the Oct. 8 total lunar eclipse, you can send photos, comments and your name and location to managing editor Tariq Malik at spacephotos@space.com.

This total eclipse is part of a so-called tetrad of lunar eclipses set to take place from 2014 to 2015. The first total eclipse in the tetrad took place in April 2014, and the next eclipse will occur in April 2015 with the last in the tetrad set for Sept. 2015. Read Space.com's complete coverage of the October blood moon below:

This visibility map shows the parts of the world that can see the total lunar eclipse of Oct. 8, 2014. (Image credit: Sky & Telescope Magazine)

Multimedia and Photos:

WATCH LIVE NOW: NASA, Slooh Total Lunar Eclipse Webcasts
NASA and the Slooh Community Observatory will air webcasts featuring live views of the total lunar eclipse from around the world. The NASA webcast will begin at 3 a.m. EDT (0700 GMT), and Slooh's webcast will start at 5 a.m. EDT (0900 GMT).

Total Lunar Eclipse of Oct. 8, 2014: Sky Maps and Guides

'Blood Moons' Explained: What Causes a Lunar Eclipse Tetrad? (Infographic)

Lunar Eclipse, Orionids, Planets And More - October 2014 Skywatching | Video

October’s Lunar Eclipse Won’t Be Unusually Dark | Video

Tuesday, Oct. 7

Blood Moon Weather: Total Lunar Eclipse Forecast  
What will your weather be like when the total lunar eclipse rises Wednesday?

Capturing the Blood Moon: Views from a Lunar Eclipse Photographer: Op-Ed  
Learn how you can photograph the total lunar eclipse from an astrophotographer.

Total Lunar Eclipse Spawns 'Blood Moon' Early Wednesday: Watch It Online  
See how to see three different webcasts of the total lunar eclipse on Space.com here. 

Monday, Oct. 6

How to Watch the October 2014 'Blood Moon' Total Lunar Eclipse
See our step-by-step guide of the Oct. 8 total lunar eclipse as it changes from a full moon to a so-called "blood moon" at its peak. 

Sunday, Oct. 5

Total Lunar Eclipse On Wednesday Will Be a Rare 'Selenelion'
For observers on the east coast of the United States, the total lunar eclipse might also be a rare "selenelion" - a celestial event in which the setting, eclipsed full moon and rising sun can be seen in the same sky.

Saturday, Oct. 4

See Uranus with a Shadowy Full Moon During Total Lunar Eclipse  
Learn how to see Uranus shining during the total lunar eclipse on Oct. 8.

Friday, Oct. 3

Total Lunar Eclipse Next Week Will Turn the Moon Blood Red: Video
NASA scientiststs think that the moon might turn a coppery-red color during the total lunar eclipse. The red hue of the moon during an eclipse is created by the way light reflects on the natural satellite.

Wednesday, Oct. 1

October Skywatching: Lunar & Solar Eclipses, a Meteor Shower and More
October will bring a total lunar eclipse, partial solar eclipse and more for stargazers. Here's what to look for. 

Two Eclipses + Mars Meets A Comet

Moon Trivia:

Moon Master: An Easy Quiz for Lunatics

The Moon: 10 Surprising Lunar Facts

How to Observe the Moon: Infographic

Reference Links:

Night Sky: Visible Planets, Eclipses, Moon Phases & Events, October 2014

Lunar Eclipses: What Are They; When is the Next One?

How Lunar Eclipses Work (Infographic)

Eclipse Glossary: Solar Eclipses, Lunar Eclipses and Their Terms

On The Moon For A Lunar Eclipse? | Artist Impression

Moon Turns Red - Lunar Eclipse Time-Lapse Video

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Space.com Staff
News and editorial team

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.