Full Moon: Minor Lunar Eclipse Tonight (Video)

If you're in North America, you may be in luck to check out a lunar eclipse-if you're up late tonight, that is, and have your binoculars in check. 

However, this penumbral lunar eclipse, will only pass into the Earth's outer shadow-the penumbra-which is much fainter and more diffuse compared with the much sharper and darker shadow known as the umbra.

Last month, the April full moon barely touched the umbra, resulting in a very small partial eclipse that caused a tiny "dent of darkness" over the moon's northern hemisphere, according to Yahoo News.

Yet this time around, weather experts fear there will be no interaction at all with the umbra, and the moon will only pass into the penumbral shadow.

Still, a penumbral lunar eclipse will probably catch your eye. In fact, when as much as two-thirds or more of the moon becomes immersed in the penumbra, a distinct, albeit, faint, shading appears on the moon's face. And luckily, for those without binoculars, you can catch a glimpse with just your naked eye, showing a "smudge" similar to a tarnishing of the moon's disk.

Unfortunately, administrators note that only the slightest sign will be visible tonight, administering a mere touch of penumbral shadow at the southernmost part of the lunar limb at 12:11 a.m. EDT on Friday (0411 May 25 GMT).

This is the point of greatest eclipse, where the penumbral magnitude will only reach 1.57 percent; the penumbral shadow will be in contact with the moon for only a little more than 33 minutes.

It will thus be impossible to notice anything out of the ordinary concerning the moon's overall appearance. It will, in fact look like any other full moon.

Regardless, might as well get your binoculars out tonight and see what you can.

Want to get some more information on the penumbral lunar eclipse? Check out this video, courtesy of YouTube.