article_snippet.sent: (CNN)Sky watchers in western North America are in for a treat: a nearly five-minute total lunar eclipse this morning.
article_snippet.sent: For the next hour and 45 minutes, Earth's shadow will move across the moon and engulf the moon at 4:58 a.m. Pacific Time.
article_snippet.sent: The total eclipse will only last four minutes and 43 seconds, and NASA says that makes the moon the shortest one of the century.
article_snippet.sent: Watch the moon live on NASA TV .
article_snippet.sent: But sunrise will interrupt the show on the East Coast.
article_snippet.sent: A lunar eclipse happens when the sun, Earth and moon form a straight line in space, with the Earth smack in the middle.
article_snippet.sent: The sun shines on Earth and creates a shadow.
article_snippet.sent: As the moon moves deeper into a shadow, the moon appears to turn dark and may even appear to be a reddish color.  
article_snippet.sent: Because Earth's atmosphere is filtering out most of the blue light.
article_snippet.sent: Some people have nicknamed the effect the "blood moon.
article_snippet.sent: NASA says lunar eclipses typically happen at least twice a year, but A lunar eclipse is the third in a series of four in a row, known as a "tetrad."  
article_snippet.sent: If you want to learn more about The total eclipse, NASA astronomer Mitzi Adams will take questions on Twitter @NASA_Marshall.
article_snippet.sent: Did you see the total lunar eclipse?
highlights_snippet.sent: The total eclipse will only last 4 minutes and 43 seconds .
  