Catch second 'blood red' total Lunar Eclipse on October 8th, 2014

Sky watchers can witness the total Lunar Eclipse on October 8th, which would be the second blood moon of 2014.

The western half of the United States would have the best view of the Eclipse and because it happens right after the perigee, the closest point to Earth in the moon's orbit, this blood moon would be nearly the size of a super moon, appearing 5.3 percent larger than the previous blood moon on April 15.

During this particular eclipse, the Moon crosses somewhat north of the umbra's center. So expect the northern half of the lunar disk, the side nearest the umbra's outer edge, to look somewhat brighter and the southern half somewhat darker.

Along most of the East Coast the Moon would sink low in the west, with dawn brightening, while the total eclipse is in progress. The brightening sky would make it increasingly difficult to spot the dim lunar disk. The Moon would set right around the time of sunrise.

This would be the second of four total lunar eclipses occurring in 2014-15 about six months apart. The third occurs next year on April 4th, and the final one on the night of September 27-28, 2015. Such eclipse tetrads are uncommon; the last one happened a decade ago, but the next won't begin until 2032.

In the following two weeks the Moon would travel halfway around its orbit, and on October 23rd it would line up directly between the Sun on Earth. On that day virtually everyone in North America would experience a partial solar eclipse.