After reading about lunar eclipses you might be wondering when the next eclipse is. Well, one eclipse just passed on the 9th of February 2009. There are 2 more eclipses in July and August 2009 but unfortunately they are all penumbral eclipses. The next partial eclipse occurs on the 31st of December 2009, so obviously you would have to choose between enjoying the new year eve or watching the grand celestial event. If you want a detailed list of the dates of lunar eclipses, just click here.
Just because the lunar eclipse occurring on 7th July 2009 is penumbral, that does not mean that you should totally ignore it. Try to observe whatever changes you can in the illumination of the moon and compare it with the partial eclipse later on.
In the meantime, you can enjoy a lunar eclipse by viewing the pictures below till the real drama in sky begins. The lunar eclipse of 7th July 2009 will be visible in Eastern Australia, western North American and South American continents and you can see the figure 1 below to find out more details regarding that. The various parts of the globe have been differentiated based on color to describe the regions in terms of the visibility of the eclipse. If you are worried that the eclipse is not visible at much parts of the land, you can try using the sea route for viewing the same by taking a cruise trip.
The picture (figure 2) after the "Areas of Lunar Eclipse" image shows the time lapse photography of a lunar eclipse which has already occurred in the past. That should give you a good idea of how the lunar eclipse looks over a period of time. Just remember that this picture is of total lunar eclipse while the one on the 7th July 2009 is a penumbral eclipse. The picture in figure 3 shows a penumbral eclipse and shows the images of the moon prior to beginning of the eclipse and during the eclipse. You can notice that the effect is not very prominent as compared to a partial or total lunar eclipse.