Iowans should be able to get a good view of a total lunar eclipse early this (Saturday) morning. Linda Burkhart is director of the Sanford Museum and Planetarium in Cherokee. She says the attraction is commonly referred to as a blood moon. “A lunar eclipse is caused by the shadow of the earth going across the moon. The sunlight will still come through that shadow and will reflect the light, so only the red-orange colored light rays will get through the atmosphere, so it’ll make the moon appear a reddish color,” Burkhart says.

This morning’s lunar eclipse should begin around 5:15 a.m., with the total eclipse lasting for just five minutes at around 7 a.m.

(Radio Iowa)