A remarkable celestial show took to the skies over the Chicago area on Sunday, as a “super flower blood moon” occurred during a total lunar eclipse.
Unfortunately for some area residents, Mother Nature had other plans, with cloud cover obscuring the view for many individuals, especially in the southern and eastern suburbs.
For those that missed the spectacle, there is the question over when the next lunar eclipse will occur, and whether it will be visible in the Chicago area.
So…. When is the Next Total Lunar Eclipse?
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If you missed this weekend’s eclipse, fear not. Another one is set to take place on Nov. 8, 2022, but it will be the last one for some time, as we will soon see.
Will it be Visible in Illinois?
The short answer to that question is yes. The lunar eclipse will be visible through most of North America, including in the Midwest and in Illinois, according to NASA.
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There will be some key differences, however. For starters, the eclipse will not be a “super moon” event, since the eclipse will occur less than a week before apogee, the point at which the moon is furthest from the Earth in its elliptical orbit around the planet.
As a result, the moon will appear smaller than usual, according to NASA experts.
The other difference is that unlike this lunar eclipse, it will take a while for it to become visible in the Western Hemisphere, with the total eclipse being visible at “moonset,” according to NASA officials.
The moon will still appear to be “blood red” in the sky, but it will take longer for us to get to that point ultimately.
How About the One After That?
There will be several partial or penumbral lunar eclipses in coming years, but the next total lunar eclipse will not occur until March 14, 2025.
That eclipse will be visible in virtually all of North America and the western half of South America.
There will be another total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7, 2025, but that one will not be visible in North America.
