Next Sunday night we will be in for a real astronomical treat.
A total lunar eclipse lasting 62 minutes will be visible on the night of Jan. 20-21 across North and South America, including throughout the United States and parts of western Europe and Africa.
The Wolf Moon -- a full moon in January -- will be a "super blood moon" that reveals a vivid reddish tint for a couple of hours, centered around midnight.
The coppery coloration or cast is due to the bending of some sunlight (refraction) around the fringes of Earth, causing shorter-wavelength light to be scattered by the atmosphere while leaving us with longer-wavelength red-orange-yellow beams.
The 2019 total lunar eclipse will begin at 11:41 p.m. ET on Jan. 20 and peak at about 12:16 a.m. ET on the 21st.