( CNN ) The third blood moon in a four-part series was the shortest eclipse of the bunch , but still a sweet treat for early risers in North America . The moon slipped fully into Earth 's shadow at 4:58 a.m. Pacific Time ( 7:58 a.m . ET ) Saturday , starting a total lunar eclipse for nearly five minutes -- what NASA says will be the shortest such eclipse of the century . The celestial body took on a burnt-orange tint in the minutes before , during and after the total eclipse , giving the moon the appearance that earns total eclipses the `` blood moon '' nickname . Watchers in the eastern half of North America caught only a partial eclipse -- and in some places , an orange one -- before the moon set below the horizon . The event started at 3:16 a.m. PT ( 6:16 a.m . ET ) , when the moon began moving into Earth 's shadow . `` The lunar eclipse is looking good ! '' tweeted Ryan Hoke , a meteorologist for CNN affiliate WAVE in Louisville , Kentucky , showing a picture of a reddish partial moon in a blue dawn sky . People from the U.S. West Coast to Australia were able to catch the total eclipse . Parts of South America , India , China and Russia were able to see at least parts of the event , but it was n't visible in Greenland , Iceland , Europe , Africa or the Middle East . A lunar eclipse happens when the sun , Earth and moon form a straight line in space , with the Earth smack in the middle . The sun shines on the Earth and creates a shadow . As the moon moves deeper into that shadow , it appears to turn dark and may even appear to be a reddish color . Why red ? Because Earth 's atmosphere is filtering out most of the blue light . NASA says lunar eclipses typically happen at least twice a year , but this eclipse is the third in a series of four in a row , known as a `` tetrad . '' The first was April 15 , 2014 , and the second was October 23 , 2014 . The space agency predicts the next one will come September 28 . Did you see it ? Share your photos with CNN iReport .
The total eclipse lasted nearly five minutes . People west of the Mississippi River had the best view in the U.S. Parts of South America , India , China and Russia were able to see the eclipse .