Story highlights The total eclipse lasted 4 minutes and 43 seconds

People west of the Mississippi River had the best view in the U.S.

Parts of South America, India, China and Russia were able to see the eclipse

(CNN) The third blood moon in a four-part series was the shortest eclipse of the bunch, but still a sweet treat for early risers in North America.

The moon slipped fully into Earth's shadow at 4:58 a.m. Pacific Time (7:58 a.m. ET) Saturday, starting a total lunar eclipse for nearly five minutes -- what NASA says will be the shortest such eclipse of the century.

The celestial body took on a burnt-orange tint in the minutes before, during and after the total eclipse, giving the moon the appearance that earns total eclipses the "blood moon" nickname.

And this one shows the red color even brighter! @GriffithObserv, #eclipse2015 pic.twitter.com/BQtDIzTtSp — NASA Marshall News (@NASA_Marshall) April 4, 2015

Watchers in the eastern half of North America caught only a partial eclipse -- and in some places, an orange one -- before the moon set below the horizon.