At 4:01 am on the morning of Saturday, April 4, the Moon will slip into the Earth’s shadow in the third of four lunar eclipses in the 2014-2015 cycle (a tetrad). The Moon will continue to darken as it enters Earth’s shadow, with the total phase lasting just 5 minutes between 6:58-7:03 am (not visible as it is after sunrise and moonset). While more common than solar eclipses, lunar eclipses last longer and can be viewed almost anywhere on the night side of the Earth (provided it’s clear). And no two are ever the same—they can range in color from brick red to copper to dark grey.

Come celebrate this cosmic alignment at our Lunar Eclipse Viewing Party from 3:30-6:30 am with special lectures, programs, and more! This free family event includes: 

• Telescope viewing from the Adler Planetarium plaza
• Special lectures by Adler astronomers & educators, and access to the Space Visualization Laboratory 
• Back to the Moon for Good* theater show
• Tours of the Doane Observatory*, the largest public telescope in the Midwest
• Eclipse and Moon-related educational programs
• Light refreshments

*Back to the Moon for Good and tours of the Doane Observatory are an additional $5.00 ticket (per person), available at the Box Office during the event. 

Parking is available in the lot adjacent to the planetarium and costs about $13 per car. Metered street parking is also available. Learn more about getting to the Adler. 

In the case of inclement weather, the event will still take place as scheduled. The eclipse will be simulcast from a clear-sky location in the museum. No tickets will be available for tours of the Doane Observatory. 

RSVP required. Click here for complete details.