Clouds drifted in and out of the D.C. area before dawn Friday, offering enough open sky for photographers around the region to capture views of the total lunar eclipse. The spectacle began at 11:57 p.

Stargazers on nearly one half of the world witnessed a total lunar eclipse overnight, as a rare cosmic lineup caused the moon to turn a shade of red.

The first total lunar eclipse in more than two years lit up the sky last night as humanity, forever fascinated with the Earth’s only natural satellite, watched.