Cloud cover early Tuesday around much of the Bay Area may disappoint those hoping for views of the total lunar eclipse, or Blood Moon, according to forecasters.
The National Weather Service said the forecast could change, but for now the best possible views statewide are at higher locations that rise above the cloud deck, such as the Sierra Nevada.
The eclipse will occur as the earth passes between the moon and sun, with totality from 3:04 a.m. to 4:03 a.m. The partial eclipse begins at 1:50 a.m.
During the eclipse, the moon will turn shades of orange and red as it becomes engulfed in Earth’s shadow, and sunlight slips around the edges of Earth’s atmosphere and shines onto the moon’s face, according to the Chabot Space and Science Center.
If clouds obliterate views, Chabot will move its planned viewing event inside and the eclipse will be streamed from a clear skies location in the facility’s planetarium, Chabot Marketing Manager Sarah Nelson Goswick said.
Get your head out of the clouds
The National Weather Service said Monday that the best possible views are in higher elevations, such as the Sierra Nevada.
Lower elevations, however, currently have fair to poor viewing potential. Extensive clouds are possible across Sonoma County valleys, the Coastal Bay Area, SF Bayshore, Concord-Livermore area, Santa Clara Valley, southern Monterey Bay, and Hollister area.
Some breaks in the cloud cover are possible in the southern Salinas Valley, northern Napa Valley, Santa Cruz County, and interior Contra Costa County east of Antioch, the weather service said.
Statewide, the best viewing conditions are expected in the Sierra Nevada and desert southeast California, though some clouds may linger in the San Joaquin Valley.
The total Lunar Eclipse Watch Party at Chabot is planned for 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday, at Chabot Space and Science Center, 10000 Skyline Boulevard in Oakland. Tickets and information are available on the planetarium’s website.