The total lunar eclipse today (July 27) won't be visible for people across North America, and bad weather could threaten even the geographically lucky — but in the digital age, no avid skywatcher is ever shut out.
Astronomy lovers from across the eclipse zone will be livestreaming their views, so if you are not able to catch the event live, you'll have plenty of options, and we'll pick one to share at Space.com.
Slooh will turn its online telescope to the lunar eclipse for a massive 6-hour moon-fest, with coverage starting at 1 p.m. EDT (1700 GMT) and ending at 7:30 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT). The webcast will include a team of experts discussing the science and stories behind lunar eclipses in general and this long one specifically. You can watch the eclipse live on Space.com, courtesy of the Slooh online observatory. (Visit Slooh.com to find out how to explore space on your own.) [Here's How Friday's Superlong Lunar Eclipse Works]
The Virtual Telescope Project will also be broadcasting its view of the eclipse — and Mars in opposition — from the Palatine Hill of Rome. This livestream will appeal to history lovers, with the ancient Arch of Constantine and the Colosseum dominating the skyline. The broadcast will start at 2:30 p.m. EDT (1830 GMT).
If you prefer England to Italy, the Royal Museums Greenwich, site of the Royal Observatory, will be just your cup of tea. The observatory will be broadcasting the view from the Annie Maunder Astrographic Telescope on Facebook, beginning at 3:45 p.m. EDT (1945 GMT). Astronomers will discuss eclipses, telescope techniques and other skywatching topics. [Blood Moon 2018: Longest Total Lunar Eclipse of Century Occurs July 27]
The Bareket Observatory in Israel will livestream the view from its telescope, with the broadcast beginning at 2:30 p.m. EDT (1830 GMT). Time and Date will also be streaming the eclipse beginning at 2 p.m. EDT (1800 GMT) from an unspecified location.
For an eclipse livestream in Spanish, tune in to Sky Live TV, which will be broadcasting from Namibia with astronomers from the Canary Islands. The livestream will begin at 2:20 p.m. EDT (1820 GMT).
Don't want to hop between livestreams for the best view? The Weather Channel will be pulling footage from a range of sites to share on its app for U.S. viewers. The broadcast will start at 4 p.m. EDT (2000 GMT) and last about an hour.
Whichever broadcast you choose, happy lunar eclipse viewing!
Email Meghan Bartels at mbartels@space.com or follow her @meghanbartels. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
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