Skywatchers viewing the event through a telescope will also be able to see Saturn and the bright star Regulus on either side of the veiled full moon. Unlike solar eclipses which require protective eyewear, lunar eclipses are safe to view with the naked eye.
Weather could be a spoiler for the total eclipse, however. Forecasters say there's a chance of snow from the heartland to the East Coast.
The next chance to see a total eclipse won't be until December 2010.
