A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is positioned directly between the moon and sun, blocking the sun's rays from the moon.

Unlike a total solar eclipse — which lasts for mere minutes and occurs over a narrow band of Earth — a lunar eclipse lasts for a long time and is visible to potentially hundreds of millions of people. During this coming eclipse, totality, wherein the entirety of the moon will turn reddish and rusty colors, will last for 65 minutes.