Interestingly, it doesn't go completely dark. A small amount of light is bent by the earth's atmosphere so that it reaches the moon. This causes the moon to shine with a dim coppery color. Lunar eclipses are more readily seen than solar eclipses. Every one on the correct side of the earth can see a given lunar eclipse.
Lunar eclipses are also perfectly safe to view.
No special precautions are needed. There can be up to three lunar eclipses in a year, but some years there are none. For a list of upcoming eclipses visiblefrom South Carolina, see the Upcoming Events page .