DENVER A total lunar eclipse will turn this months full moon a coppery red that will be visible across the Americas late Thursday into early Friday, but cloud cover from an incoming storm could mean some Coloradans wont get as good of a show.A lunar eclipse happens when the earth is aligned pretty much in a straight line between the sun and a full moon. The amount of dust particles hanging around in the atmosphere when this happens will determine how much of a blood moon those watching will see, Ron Hranac with the Denver Astronomical Society told Denver7 earlier this week.Another fun thing about the lunar eclipse unlike a solar eclipse you dont need any special glasses or filters or anything else to observe it, Hranac said, adding the unaided eye, binoculars or a telescope are all good viewing tools. Use all three, if youd like, but do take advantage of it, because it is kind of cool to watch as the Earths shadows takes progressively bigger bites out of the moon.Total lunar eclipses are typically visible once or twice a year, but they only occur in areas where the three celestial bodies perfectly align. The last total lunar eclipse visible in North America was in late 2022 and Coloradans were lucky to see one earlier in the year, when the Super Flower Blood Moon graced the night skies in mid-May that year. In the video below, check out some of the best photos taken by Colorado photographers of the total Super Flower Blood Moon in May of 2022 Our favorite photos of the 'Super Flower Blood Moon' in the Colorado skyIf youre already thinking about the next one, well, youre going have to wait a year as the next total lunar eclipse visible to Coloradans wont happen until March 3, 2026.Some good news, though: A partial lunar eclipse will be visible in Denver on Aug. 28, 2026. That will happen at a much more reasonable time, starting around 8:30 p.m., but it's only partial, Hranac said.How to see the lunar eclipse from Denver and beyondViewing this years blood moon wont be hard, but it will take some effort and commitment for those hoping to see this magnificent celestial event.Perhaps the only downside to this months lunar eclipse is how late in the nighttime hours its occurring, Hranac said.While the penumbral phase (when the moon touches the outer part of the Earths shadow) will start at around 9:57 p.m. MDT Thursday, you probably wont see much, if anything at least naked-eye during this phase, Hranac said. The partial and total phases are the best times to observe the eclipse visually.The partial phase begins at around 11:09 p.m. MDT, with totality happening at 12:26 a.m. Friday morning and ending a little more than an hour later, by about 1:31 a.m., according to timeanddate.com.So if I wake up at midnight, Ill be able to see the blood moon? Well maybe. Unfortunately, a fast-moving storm system thats bringing heavy mountain snow, a wintry mix to the metro area and very strong winds to much of the state is moving in Thursday night. Its arrival also means a lot of cloud cover.If youre in western or southwestern Colorado, its going to be pretty much a bust this time around as much of the San Juans and the Western Slope will have a substantial percentage of cloud cover.While the National Weather Service in Boulder forecasts around a 50-60% cloud cover for the Urban Corridor, were hoping that were going to get a break within some of the clouds as we get closer to totality just after midnight, said Denver7 chief meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo earlier Thursday. It actually could make it look even a little more eerie if we do get some of that cloud cover. While Hidalgo said Coloradans should keep their fingers crossed so that those clouds break up a bit Thursday evening for the total lunar eclipse, Hranac offered a sliver of hope.If theyre thin clouds, it is sometimes possible to see the moon, particularly when its full, through the clouds. It wont be a clear, crisp image, but people might be able to see it depending on the just how thick the cloud layer is, Hranac said.If you can't sleep and can't wait until next year to see the blood moon, the NWS forecast shows people in southeastern Colorado and the Eastern Plains will have the best chance at viewing this celestial event, as cloud cover will range between 17-33% at midnight. So, what does Hranac recommend?I would say keep an eye on the weather forecast for Thursday night into early Friday morning. If the weather does cooperate, get outside and enjoy the view. ...read more read less