A Once-in-a-Lifetime Eclipse Will Be Visible to Millions on Tuesday—Here's How to See It

Millions of people around the world may be able to witness a rare eclipse on Tuesday, December 12. Betelgeuse, one of the biggest and brightest stars, will briefly disappear from the night sky as an asteroid passes in front of it to create a once-in-a-lifetime eclipse, according astronomer Gianluca Masi, founder of the Virtual Telescope Project.

Betelgeuse is a blazing red supergiant in the constellation Orion. A supergiant is the term given to stars nearing the end of their lives. They are the largest stars in the universe because they puff up and expand out into space in their old age, according to NASA. The large star will be eclipsed by the asteroid Leona, which orbits between Mars and Jupiter in the outer reaches of the main asteroid belt.

The rare phenomenon happens late Monday into early Tuesday and should be visible along a narrow path stretching from Tajikistan and Armenia, across Turkey, Greece, Italy, and Spain, to Miami and the Florida Keys, and lastly to parts of Mexico, the Associated Press reports.

Astronomers hope to learn more about Leona and Betelgeuse by watching the eclipse, which is expected to last for just 15 seconds. At about 700 light years away, Betelgeuse is visible to the naked eye, but binoculars and small telescopes will make it easier to witness the brief event, according to the AP.