Science

Photos: The historic partial lunar eclipse around the world

The earth's shadow covers the full moon during a partial lunar eclipse as it sets beyond city hall, Friday, Nov. 19, in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
The Earth's shadow covers the full moon during a partial lunar eclipse as it sets beyond city hall on Friday in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel/AP

The last lunar eclipse of the year took place overnight into Friday morning and was visible in several parts of the world. The moon almost entirely passed into the Earth's shadow and was illuminated by the sun, casting a reddish glow. Because it was 99.1 percent of the moon, and not the whole moon, it's considered a partial lunar eclipse.

This lunar event made history, too: NASA predicted the eclipse would last about three and a half hours, making it the longest partial lunar eclipse in 580 years.

If you didn't catch a glimpse this morning, the next total lunar eclipse will take place May 15-16, 2022. The Holcomb Observatory at Butler University in Indiana says the East Coast of the U.S. and the entire Americas will have the best view.

A view of Zolotoy Bridge during a partial lunar eclipse visible over the bay of Zolotoy Rog in Russia.
A view of Zolotoy Bridge during a partial lunar eclipse visible over the bay of Zolotoy Rog in Russia.
Yuri Smityuk/TASS
The moon, with a partial lunar eclipse, is seen behind the writing E Pluribus Unum, latin for "Out of many, one" on the Statue of Freedom at the top of the dome on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on Nov. 19.
The moon, with a partial lunar eclipse, is seen behind the writing E Pluribus Unum, latin for "Out of many, one" on the Statue of Freedom at the top of the dome on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on Nov. 19.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
People look on by a telescope as people gather to observe a lunar eclipse from the observation deck of Roppongi Hills in Tokyo on Nov. 19.
People look on by a telescope as people gather to observe a lunar eclipse from the observation deck of Roppongi Hills in Tokyo on Nov. 19.
Philip Fong/AFP via Getty Images
A partial lunar eclipse is seen behind a crane in Manila, Philippines on Friday.
A partial lunar eclipse is seen behind a crane in Manila, Philippines on Friday.
Aaron Favila/AP
The moon shines though clouds as people sit inside a rocket ship-themed playground tower before a lunar eclipse on Nov. 18 in Torrance, California.
The moon shines though clouds as people sit inside a rocket ship-themed playground tower before a lunar eclipse on Nov. 18 in Torrance, California.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
The leaves of a tree are seen with a partial lunar eclipse as a backdrop, Friday, Nov. 19, in Lutherville-Timonium, Md.
The leaves of a tree are seen with a partial lunar eclipse as a backdrop, Friday, Nov. 19, in Lutherville-Timonium, Md.
Julio Cortez/AP
The earth's shadow covers the full moon during a partial lunar eclipse visible near a statue of George Washington atop Baltimore's Washington Monument, on Friday in Baltimore.
The Earth's shadow covers the full moon during a partial lunar eclipse visible near a statue of George Washington atop Baltimore's Washington Monument, on Friday in Baltimore.
Julio Cortez/AP
A partial lunar eclipse is seen in the sky above Qingzhou City, East China's Shandong Province.
A partial lunar eclipse is seen in the sky above Qingzhou City, East China's Shandong Province.
Wang Jilin/Costfoto/Barcroft Media via Getty Images
The moon is seen during a lunar eclipse in Phnom Penh on Nov. 19.
The moon is seen during a lunar eclipse in Phnom Penh on Nov. 19.
Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP via Getty Images

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.