Wednesday's rare total lunar eclipse promises to be 100 minutes long. The full event can be seen from from the eastern half of Africa, the Middle East, central Asia and western Australia, according to NASA. Parts of it will be seen in Europe, Asia, and Australia.

None of it can be seen in North America. Viewers, however, can watch a live webcast here, which starts at 18:33 GMT.

A lunar eclipse of Wednesday's duration is rare. The last time a comparable one occurred was in July 2000. The next time something like that will occur is in July 2018.

During total lunar eclipses, the earth blocks the moon from direct sunlight with the narrow and dark part of its shadow (called the umbra). The indirect sunlight that will hit the moon, distorted by the earth's atmosphere, will be beautiful shades of orange and red.

Normally, the directly and undistorted sunlight that hits the moon looks white.

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Full Lunar Eclipse above New York
The Moon is seen above New York during a full lunar eclipse December 21, 2010. The eclipse will be the first to coincide with the Winter Solstice since 1638. REUTERS
Scientists Red lunar eclipse due to volcanic ashes
Wednesday marks the first of the two total lunar eclipses that the world will witness this year, with the latest this month set to be seen by millions in the countries located in Asia, the Middle East region, Africa and Australia. NASA
Lunar Eclipse
Lunar Eclipse Reuters
Why would Wednesdays lunar eclipse turn the moon blood-red
The Moon is engulfed in the Earth's shadow during the peak of a rare winter solstice total lunar eclipse as viewed through a telescope from Palm Beach Gardens December 21, 2010. REUTERS/DOUG MURRAY
Australia NASA Australia Space