Your Last-Minute ‘Blood Moon Eclipse’ Toolkit: How And When To See, Stream And Photograph This Weekend’s Total Lunar Eclipse

by ·

On Sunday May 15 and into Monday, 16, 2022 there’s going to be a big total lunar eclipse—a “Blood Moon”—visible across North America for a jaw-dropping 84 minutes.

All you need are clear skies and wide eyes.

Here’s exactly when you can see this week’s “Super Flower Blood Moon Eclipse” from every U.S. state, where to stream it online, how to photograph it, and everything else you need to know:

When to see the ‘Blood Moon’ total lunar eclipse

Although the various livestreams begin at different times the eclipse is a global event. So here’s the celestial schedule for North America on Sunday May 15 and into Monday, 16, 2022.

Go outside between these times to see with your own naked eyes as the full Moon turns a strange-looking reddish hue:

  • 11:29 p.m.-oo:53 a.m. EDT on Sunday May 15-Monday, 16, 2022 (peak totality at 00:11 a.m.)
  • 10:29-11:53 p.m. CDT on Sunday May 15, 2022 (peak totality at 11:11 p.m.)
  • 9:29-10:53 p.m. MDT on Sunday May 15, 2022 (peak totality at 10:11 p.m.)
  • 8:29-9:53 p.m. PDT on Sunday May 15, 2022 (peak totality at 9:11 p.m.)

Where to livestream the ‘Blood Moon’ total lunar eclipse

There are so many fake livestreams on YouTube that show any old junk that could easily be a previous eclipse, or even something less relevant.

Avoid them all and go for these two reliable live-streams from Timeanddate.com and from Flagstaff, Arizona’s Lowell Observatory. You’ll see the real thing and you’ll learn a lot:

How to photograph the ‘Blood Moon’ total lunar eclipse

There are some excellent tutorials on how to photograph the total lunar eclipse using a smartphone and a “proper” camera—see here, here and here—but the basics are:

How to take a ‘Blood Moon’ close-up

  • use a mirrorless or DSR camera with a 500-600mm telephoto lens (though 300mm will just about do).
  • focus on infinity.
  • begin at ISO 100, f/8 aperture and 1/125-1/250 sec shutter speed, but as totality begins and the Moon goes red try ISO 800 and f4-f8. Also experiment with shutter speed, but go no slower than 1/2 sec.

How to photograph the ‘Blood Moon’ with a smartphone

  • get something interesting in the foreground—like a tree, building or mountain (but avoid anything brightly-lit).
  • put your smartphone on a tripod because a long exposure will be needed.
  • lock your exposure on the Moon by pressing it on the screen, then take the photo. It will take a few seconds, possibly about 25 seconds if you’re in a dark place (the darker, the better!).
  • experiment with manual settings if your phone lets you do that/if you have a third-party app.

How to observe the ‘Blood Moon’ total lunar eclipse

All you need are your own naked eyes and clear skies, though a pair of binoculars (or a small telescope) will help you get a fabulous close-up.

There are various stages of the eclipse to observe, notably the partial phase when the Moon begins to turn red. However, with such a long totality all you need to do is to be outside anytime within that 84 minute totality.

Disclaimer: I am the editor of WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.

You may also like...