Griffith Park— A total lunar eclipse will be visible from Los Angeles tonight on Sunday, May 15. The Griffith Park Observatory will be hosting an online broadcast of the event, weather permitting. 

On Sunday, May 15, 2022, Griffith Observatory will be hosting a live, online broadcast of the total lunar eclipse that will be visible from Los Angeles tonight. The online event will begin at 7:35 p.m. and will end at 11:50 p.m. 

“A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly into the dark inner shadow, or umbra, cast by the Earth,” the Griffith Observatory officials report. “ On May 15, one hundred percent of the round disk of the full Moon slowly moves into the dark shadow, and the bright Moon grows dim. The Moon does not, however, become completely dark. Instead, it usually glows with a copper or red color, a result of sunlight being filtered and bent through the Earth’s atmosphere (much like a sunset),” Observatory officials added. 

Total lunar eclipse should be visible to the unaided eye.

The lunar eclipse should be visible throughout Southern California and is safe to view without any eye protection. The total lunar eclipse will be visible to the unaided eye if skies are clear, however a telescope or binoculars may enhance the view.  

Due to the changing color of the moon throughout the lunar eclipse, officials recommend viewing the experience multiple times during the duration of the event.

The Griffith Observatory will also be open to the public for viewing – keep in mind that Griffith Park and the Griffith Observatory will still close at its normal time of 10 p.m.

The next total lunar eclipse visible in Los Angeles will occur on November 8, 2022.