Next week's partial lunar eclipse caps off a busy month of celestial splendor

If a "planet parade," a solar eclipse and a meteor shower weren't enough, August has one more celestial treat in store for us -- a partial lunar eclipse beginning late Thursday, Aug. 27, and continuing into the early morning on Friday, Aug. 28. 

Often called a "blood moon" because of its reddish-copper hue, a lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth moves between the Sun and the moon, blocking sunlight from reaching the lunar surface and casting a shadow on our closest celestial neighbor. 

While this won't be a total lunar eclipse, a significant portion of the moon will be covered. The best views will be in the eastern portion of the United States and Canada and all of Central and South America. Those in the West will still be able to see some of the eclipse, just not as much.

On its website, NASA says the rusty coloring "is because our planet blocks most of the Sun's light from reaching the Moon, and the light that does reach the lunar surface is filtered through a thick slice of Earth's atmosphere. It's as if all of the world's sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the Moon."

The best time to begin watching is around 10:33 p.m. ET on Thursday, with the greatest coverage occurring around 12:12 a.m. ET on Friday. It will all be over by 3:03 a.m. ET.

You won't need special glasses to experience this eclipse. Unlike its solar sibling, lunar eclipses are completely safe to experience with the naked eye. If you have binoculars or a telescope, you'll get an even better view.

Keep in mind that, like all celestial events, cloud cover or bad weather can impact how much you can see.