On Thursday night, August 27, there is a perfectly good reason to ignore your bedtime.

Tellus Science Museum is staying open from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m. for a special late-night lunar eclipse experience, giving visitors a front-row seat as Earth’s shadow sweeps across nearly the entire Moon.

At maximum eclipse, an impressive 96% of the lunar surface will be covered, creating a dramatic celestial display visible to the naked eye.

And Tellus is doing considerably more than simply turning off the lights and pointing everyone toward the sky.

WSB-TV Chief Meteorologist Emeritus Glenn Burns and NASA Ambassador Chris Thompson will be on hand throughout the evening to explain what is happening overhead, answer questions and guide visitors through the science behind the eclipse.

Guests can view the Moon through the Tellus Observatory, explore the museum galleries, catch live eclipse demonstrations inside the Planetarium, and visit interactive Blue Crew stations examining everything from the Moon’s distance from Earth to the curious optical illusions created by moonlight.

Planetarium programs are scheduled for 11:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m., while eclipse talks will take place at 11 p.m., midnight and 1 a.m.

The eclipse itself begins at 10:33 p.m.

Maximum eclipse arrives at 12:13 a.m., when Earth’s shadow will cover nearly all of the Moon.

The partial eclipse ends at approximately 1:52 a.m.

Although this eclipse stops just short of totality, the Moon should still put on quite a show. During a lunar eclipse, some sunlight bends through Earth’s atmosphere before reaching the Moon. Red wavelengths pass through the atmosphere particularly well, often giving the eclipsed Moon its familiar copper, orange or deep-red appearance.

The exact color depends partly on conditions in Earth’s atmosphere that night.

Admission is free for Tellus members, while non-members pay regular museum admission.

So grab the family, drink the late coffee and consider giving bedtime the night off.

After all, the Moon will be staying up late too.