The second total lunar eclipse of 2018 will be visible in large parts of Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa, and South America tonight, Friday, July 27th.

The lunar eclipse happens during daylight hours, and the best view in Europe can be seen between sunset and midnight. Unlike solar eclipses, the lunar eclipse is safe to view with the naked eye or binoculars.

Its totality will last for 103 minutes, making it the longest eclipse of the 21st century. However, a partial eclipse before and after the total phase means the moon will spend nearly four hours crossing the Earth’s shadow.

Total lunar eclipses are also sometimes called Blood Moons because of the reddish-orange glow the Moon takes on during the eclipse.

The moon will be in perfect alignment with the sun and Earth, with the moon on the opposite side of the Earth from the sun. The Full Moon is also at its farthest from the Earth, so it looks a little smaller in the sky, making this a Blood Micro-Moon eclipse. The moon appears so small and takes longer to pass through Earth’s shadow is also why the eclipse lasts longer.

Mars is also at its brightest, as it is very close to the eclipsed Moon, and will be easy to see with naked eyes on July 27th, if the sky is clear. This is a coincidence that happens once every 25,000 years.