A total lunar eclipse comes with the Full Pink Moon early Saturday morning, but Baltimore and the rest of the eastern United States will miss the spectacle.
The moon will start to enter Earth's shadow about 6:15 a.m. Saturday, about 35 minutes before it sets. That could make it appear to slightly darken, but only areas from the western United States to eastern Asia will have a chance to see the "blood moon" phenomenon that can occur when the moon is in total eclipse.
But the total eclipse will last less than 5 minutes, making it the shortest total lunar eclipse of the century, according to EarthSky.org. It's the third in a series of four total lunar eclipses, known as a tetrad, over a two-year period. The fourth occurs Sept. 28.
Saturday, the total eclipse occurs just before 8 a.m. eastern time. The Slooh Community Observatory will broadcast it live online.
Just after that, the moon will be full -- at 8:06 a.m. The first full moon of spring is known as the Pink Moon, Egg Moon, Grass Moon or Easter Moon.
Though it won't arrive until Saturday morning, it will still be big and bright Friday night, though rain clouds could block it from view. Clear skies are forecast Saturday night.