Amy Held

In the U.S., totality starts Tuesday morning around 3 a.m.

Pacific, that's 6 Eastern.

It can also be seen from parts of Asia, Australia, Central and South America.

Africa and Europe miss out.

NASA says this is the last total lunar eclipse for almost three years.

The next?

New Year's Eve to ring in 2029.

Amy Held, NPR News.

On Wall Street and pre-market trading, Dow futures are down.

It's called a planetary parade.

Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, and Mercury all visible to the naked eye.

Plus Neptune and Uranus with the help of binoculars or a telescope.

Viewing conditions are best soon after sunset without clouds or artificial light getting in the way.

Looking up to catch a planet or two isn't so unusual.

But seeing this many is.

As they orbit the sun, the planets of our solar system only align like this with optimal visibility every few years, NASA says.

And unlike faraway stars, which twinkle and look fixed in place, the word planet comes from the ancient Greek for wanderer.

There's another celestial spectacle early Tuesday morning, when the Earth will pass between the sun and the moon, creating a total lunar eclipse and making the moon look red.

Amy Held, NPR News.

It's called a planetary parade.