Total lunar eclipse visible in Philly area this week. Everything you need to know:

PHILADELPHIA - Look up! A stunning sight is about to make its way across our skies, and you definitely don't want to miss it.

What we know:

A total lunar eclipse will be visible this week as the Earth makes its way between the sun and moon for the first time in more than two years.

The astronomical phenomenon will cast a reddish glow, resulting in what is also called a "blood moon."

When is the total lunar eclipse?

The total lunar eclipse will begin Thursday night, and continue through the early morning hours on Friday. It is expected to start around 12:55 a.m. and last for three hours and 38 minutes.

Where is the total lunar eclipse visible?

Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware can all catch a glimpse of the entire eclipse, along with the rest of North and South America and western parts of Europe and Africa.

Is it safe to look at a total lunar eclipse?

Unlike a solar eclipse, lunar eclipses are safe to view with the naked eye, or through binoculars or a telescope.

Dig deeper:

Lunar eclipses always provide the most incredible views and photos, but how do they really occur?

What is a total lunar eclipse?

The National Weather Service describes lunar eclipses as the moment the sun casts Earth's shadow on the Moon.

"The Earth must be physically between the Sun and Moon with all three bodies lying on the same plane of orbit.  A lunar eclipse can only occur during a Full Moon and when the Moon passes through all or a portion of Earth's shadow."

For it to be a total lunar eclipse, the entire Moon must pass into the Earth's umbral shadow.

When is the next total lunar eclipse?

The last total lunar eclipse was visible on November 8, 2022. The next one is predicted for March 3, 2026.