Early morning sky watchers have a chance to observe a total
lunar eclipse Tuesday morning depending on the amount of cloud
cover over the area. The eclipse is set to begin at 1:33 a.m.,
according to NASA's website, with totality taking place at 2:41
a.m. The moon will be covered by Earth's shadow for a period of
72 minutes and the entire event is expected to last around three
and a half hours. While the eclipse will be visible throughout
North America, as well as other parts of the world, area
residents may have some difficulty viewing the event. According
to the forecast from the National Weather Service in State
College, mostly cloudy skies are expected overnight tonight and
there is a slight chance of snow showers, both of which could
obscure the view for observers. A lunar eclipse can occur only
during a full moon, and a total lunar eclipse, such as the one
set to take place Tuesday morning, only occurs when the entire
moon passes through Earth's umbral shadow, which prevents direct
sunlight from reaching