UNDATED -- Clouds cleared Wednesday afternoon, ensuring that at least some Bay Area residents were able to catch a glimpse of the last total eclipse of the moon until 2010 on their way home from work.

By the time the moon was visible at about 5:43 p.m., Ryan Turner -- an astronomer at the Chabot Space & Science Center -- said the celestial body was already partially eclipsed. The moon became totally eclipsed at 7:01 p.m. and reappeared at 7:51 p.m. Partial eclipse ends 9:09 p.m.

Sky gazers who were able to see the moon were dazzled by the red hue the moon took on during the eclipse.

"The moon turns red because the light of the sun filters through the earth's atmosphere," he said. He added that if there was no atmosphere, the moon would be totally black during the eclipse, but the atmosphere allows light to refract around Earth.

In addition to the beautiful color, the moon will also have some company in the sky thanks to Saturn and the bright star Regulus. Turner said the bright lights appeared next to the moon, making an already stunning view even more unique.

The eclipse was visible to the naked eye but the changes were more rapidly visible with binoculars or a telescope.

Unlike during a meteor shower, it is unnecessary to get away from bright lights to see the astronomical event because the moon is so bright. More important is a clear eastern exposure, Tuner said, and possibly a little altitude because the moon will stay low in the sky.

He said places like Inspiration Point on Wildcat Canyon Road at Tilden Regional Park north of Berkeley in unincorporated Alameda County allowed for a fantastic view.

Museums and parks throughout the area offered telescopes, hikes and lectures regarding the moon passing into the Earth's shadow.

The Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park offered a lunar hike from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. that led to the ridge top olive groves.

Helen Putnam Regional Park in Petaluma also held an eclipse hike with Santa Rosa Junior College Planetarium Director Ed Megill. Hikers can meet at the Oxford Court entrance at 6:30 p.m. and expect to be back by 8:30 p.m.

The next total lunar eclipse visible from North America will be Dec. 20, 2010, according to Tuner.

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the full moon passes into Earth's shadow and is blocked from the sun's rays that normally illuminate it. During an eclipse, the sun, Earth and moon line up, leaving a darkened moon visible to observers on the night side of the planet.

The moon doesn't go black because indirect sunlight still reaches it after passing through the Earth's atmosphere. Since the atmosphere filters out blue light, the indirect light that reaches the moon transforms it into a reddish or orange tinge, depending on how much dust and cloud cover are in the atmosphere at the time.

Wednesday's total eclipse phase lasted nearly an hour. Earth's shadow is expected to blot out the moon beginning around 7 p.m. on the West Coast and 10 p.m. on the East Coast. West Coast skygazers will miss the start of the eclipse because it occurs before the moon rises.