In case you haven’t been near a computer or newspaper for a while, there’s a total lunar eclipse occurring tonight in the Western Hemisphere (early morning for Europe and Africa). This “moon darkening” event occurs because the Moon temporarily moves through Earth’s shadow. The Moon won’t go completely dark, but turn smoky grey to reddish in color; it’s still lit up by indirect sunlight, which is why we can see it.This is one of those celestial events that you can watch from your house (or backyard), but if you’re craving a social experience, call your local planetarium and/or public observatory and see if they’re planning an eclipse-watching party. There’s more information about the eclipse at Sky and Telescope’s page. You can also check out Astronomy Magazine’s pageand for the ultimate in eclipse-o-phile info, go visit MrEclipse.com.

Now, chances are that some parts of North America (at least) will have cloudy conditions for all or part of the eclipse. But, check it out anyway. Your local weather may clear just in time!