Southcentral Kentuckians will be on the dark side of the moon today as it disappears in the Earths shadow.Whether at an observatory or in your backyard, a gaze at the heavens will give you a front-row seat as the moon slowly vanishes in the first total lunar eclipse since 1997.During an eclipse, the earth moves between the sun and moon, forming a straight line. The process will start about 9:01 p.m. with the Earths shadow creeping from left to right, blocking the moon from the suns rays. By 10:05 p.m., the moon will be in the Earths shadow, where it remain for 75 minutes, said Richard Gelderman, an assistant professor of astronomy and physics at Western Kentucky University. While in the Earths shadow, the moon will appear dark and reddish since some light will hit it, he said. When the suns rays hit the Earths atmosphere, they scatter, Gelderman said. Blue light scatters the most, and red light scatters the least. During an eclipse, the blue light scatters to pieces, but the red light bypasses the Earth, hits the moon and gives it the reddish hue. To have the full moon disappear in the middle of the night is amazing, Gelderman said.At 11:22 p.m., the moon will begin to reappear, with it completing the process at 12:25 a.m. Friday. The newly formed Hilltoppers Astronomy Club plans to observe the event from Thompson Complex-Central Wing, said Richard Benton, the clubs technical officer. This is my first lunar eclipse, he said. Im excited about it because its something that doesnt happen every night.The National Weather Service in Louisville said it should be clear, but cold for the event.There will be lunar eclipses in February and July, but none will be visible here.