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SET YOUR ALARMS! This is the time you can see the total lunar eclipse tonight!

Set your alarms for 2:30 a.m.! A total lunar eclipse or a blood moon happens tonight!

By: Katie McGraw

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Set your alarms for 2:30 a.m.! A total lunar eclipse or a blood moon happens tonight!

If you missed it, watch below.

Check out the lunar solar eclipse

WHAT IS A LUNAR ECLIPSE?

Following last year's total solar eclipse, this week there is a total LUNAR eclipse! Unlike a solar eclipse, you can safely look at a lunar eclipse at any point.

During a total lunar eclipse, the Earth is between the sun and the moon. We are watching as the moon passes through Earth's shadow. So we are seeing the Earth's shadow on the moon.

WHEN IS THE LUNAR ECLIPSE?

The total solar eclipse begins at 12:55 a.m. tonight/early Friday for our time zone. The eclipse first appears to have a bite taken out of one side of the moon.

As the maximum eclipse nears, the moon transforms into a deep crimson orb.

The total lunar eclipse begins at 2:26 a.m. and peaks at 2:58 a.m. The total lunar eclipse ends at 3:31 a.m.

Afterward, the eclipse plays out in reverse. A partial eclipse will continue with the red color fading, and the dark bite shrinking until the moon looks like its usual self again by 5:05 a.m.

The next total lunar eclipse is less than a year out - on March 3, 2026!

WILL CLOUDS RUIN THE SHOW?

There is a low-pressure out to our west and will be making its way toward NEO by this weekend. Friday will be very warm ahead of this system with increasing clouds, but this should happen late on Friday into Saturday morning.

While a couple of clouds are expected tonight into Friday morning, there should be enough breaks in the clouds to still see the moon. Most of these clouds will be farther north with mostly clear conditions to the south.

It will be chilly though from 2:30-3:30 a.m. - so be sure to grab your winter jacket before heading outside. It will be slightly milder farther inland once again with temps in the mid to low 40s.