Photos: October 2014 lunar eclipse reveals a blood moon

Penumbra is when the moon moves into the outer shadow of the Earth.  (Raul Roa / Times Community News)

Wednesday’s event was the second lunar eclipse of 2014 and was best seen from the Pacific and bordering regions, according to NASA.  (Raul Roa / Times Community News)

The viewing became more exciting as Earth’s shadow spread.  (Raul Roa / Times Community News)

Alan MacRobert of Sky and Telescope: “If you were standing on the moon during a total lunar eclipse, you would see the Earth as a black disk with a brilliant orange ring around it.”   (Raul Roa / Times Community News)

L.A. Times science reporter Deborah Netburn explains that even when the moon is entirely in the shadow of the Earth, it’s visible against the night sky as it reflects Earth’s sunsets and sunrises.   (Raul Roa / Times Community News)

The full lunar eclipse began at 3:25 a.m. PDT and continued until 4:24 a.m.  (Raul Roa / Times Community News)

NASA says the Oct. 8 eclipse was the 42nd of a family of 72 eclipses that began with a penumbral eclipse on July 9, 1275, and will end with another penumbral eclipse on Sept. 2, 2555. Read more at the NASA Eclipse website.  (Raul Roa / Times Community News)

All the stages of the lunar eclipse were visible from the northwestern one-third of North America, according to NASA.   (Raul Roa / Times Community News)

There are no more lunar eclipses this year, although Oct. 23 will bring a partial eclipse of the sun.  (Raul Roa / Times Community News)