San Antonio skywatchers are in for a celestial treat this week, when a partial lunar eclipse becomes visible across South Texas.
The eclipse will be especially striking because nearly the entire full moon will pass through Earth's darkest shadow, known as the umbra.
So, what's the difference between a total lunar eclipse and a partial one? A total lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, earth and full moon align and the entire moon passes through Earth's umbra, or darkest shadow.
During a partial lunar eclipse, only part of the moon passes through the umbra.
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According to Time and Date, the partial lunar eclipse will peak around 11:12 p.m. Thursday, reaching a magnitude of 0.930. At that point, about 93% of the moon's diameter will be covered by Earth's umbra.
With nearly the entire moon passing through Earth's darkest shadow, much of it could take on a rusty or coppery red hue visible to the naked eye.
Weather conditions may not be ideal for San Antonio skywatchers. Isolated showers could develop earlier Thursday evening, with partly cloudy skies expected overnight, according to AccuWeather.
Widespread storms are not expected around the eclipse's peak, however, so breaks in the cloud cover could provide opportunities to see the celestial event.
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This article originally published at South Texas skywatchers can glimpse a striking partial lunar eclipse Thursday night.