Lunar Eclipse Happens Tonight, First Solstice Eclipse Since 1638

This year's total lunar eclipse is also called the Christmas lunar eclipse, as it happens a few days before Christmas. It is expected to last three hours and 28 minutes from late Monday into early Tuesday.

This is the second lunar eclipse of 2010, but it is the first total lunar eclipse since Feb. 20, 2008. The last total lunar eclipse that occurred simultaneously with Winter Solstice, which is tonight, happened in 1638.

The last lunar eclipse of 2010 is especially well-placed for observers throughout North America, according to NASA's eclipse website.

Eclipse times:

10:33 p.m. — partial eclipse begins

11:41 p.m. — total eclipse begins

12:17 a.m. — mid-eclipse

12:53 a.m. — total eclipse ends

2:01 a.m. — partial eclipse ends

The last eclipse this year happened on June 26, but it was nowhere near as vivid as tonight's is expected to be.

The color and brightness of the totally eclipsed moon, according to NASA, should be a dark eclipse because of Indonesia's Mount Merapi recent volcanic eruptions. Dark eclipses are caused by volcanic gas and dust that filter and block much of the sun's light from reaching the moon, according to the website.

The total eclipse phase is going to be bright red and orange.

When the moon is completely concealed by Earth, this is known by Space experts as totality. Tonight's totality will last just slightly more 72 minutes, something NASA officials says is "quite a bit longer than the last total lunar eclipse."