NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Get ready for a partial lunar eclipse and , all rolled into one.
The spectacle will be visible in clear skies across North America and South America Tuesday night and in Africa and Europe Wednesday morning.
A partial lunar eclipse happens when the Earth passes between the sun and moon, casting a shadow that darkens a sliver of the moon and appears to take a bite out of it.
Since the moon will inch closer to Earth than usual, it'll appear a bit larger in the sky. The is one of three remaining this year.
鈥淎 little bit of the sun鈥檚 light is being blocked so the moon will be slightly dimmer,鈥� said Valerie Rapson, an astronomer at the State University of New York at Oneonta.
The Earth, moon and sun line up to produce a solar or lunar eclipse anywhere from four to seven times a year, according to NASA. This lunar eclipse is the second and final of the year after a slight darkening in March.
In April, a plunged select cities into darkness across North America.
No special eye protection is needed to view a lunar eclipse. Viewers can stare at the moon with the naked eye or opt for binoculars and telescopes to get a closer look.
To spot the moon鈥檚 subtle shrinkage over time, hang outside for a few hours or take multiple peeks over the course of the evening, said KaChun Yu, curator at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
鈥淔rom one minute to the next, you might not see much happening,鈥� said Yu.
For a more striking lunar sight, skywatchers can set their calendars for March 13. The moon will be totally eclipsed by the Earth鈥檚 shadow and will be painted red by stray bits of sunlight filtering through Earth鈥檚 atmosphere.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute鈥檚 Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Adithi Ramakrishnan, The Associated Press
