Witnessing the Moon's Red Transformation during March's Full Lunar Eclipse: A Guide
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Get ready for a jaw-dropping celestial event this week as the full moon turns a striking shade of crimson during a total lunar eclipse.
This spectacle is going to light up the skies for sky-watchers in western Africa, western Europe, the Americas, eastern Australia, New Zealand, northern Japan, and eastern Russia on the night of Thursday, March 15 or early Friday, March 16, depending on your location. Check out Time and Date's website to find out exactly when the eclipse will be visible over your area – weather permitting, of course!
A lunar eclipse happens when Earth is strategically positioned between the sun and moon, lining them up in an astounding configuration known as syzygy. During this alignment, the moon ventures into our planet’s shadow.
During a total eclipse, the moon's surface takes on a breathtaking reddish hue due to sunlight filtering through Earth’s atmosphere and reflecting onto the lunar landscape. This results in the moon being dubbed the "blood moon." The redness of the moon isn't uniform, as the dusky shadow isn't flawless. Instead, faint rays of sunlight from all sides add a warm, sunset-like glow to the blood moon.
The peak of the total eclipse is set for 2:26 a.m. ET on Friday and will last a smashing 65 minutes. But the action doesn't stop there, as there's a strong possibility of some pre- and post-show excitement.
"With March being a typical month for spring showers, there's roughly a 50/50 chance it'll be cloudy," says Dr. Renee Weber, chief scientist at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. "Even if it's cloudy, you might still catch glimpses of the eclipse if the clouds are scattered."
Viewing a lunar eclipse doesn't require any specific equipment – just head outside to an area away from city lights for the best view. And unlike the sun, gazing upon the full moon won't harm your eyes.
So, grab your lawn chairs, comfy blankets, and maybe a telescope for an enhanced viewing experience, and prepare to witness a unique, radiant lunar performance that hasn't been seen since November 2022!
What to Expect During the Eclipse
Unlike a total solar eclipse, in which the sun appears to vanish completely, the moon will remain visible during a total lunar eclipse due to sunlight passing through Earth’s atmosphere and reaching the moon's surface. This dim lighting results in an orange or red moon. The redness of the moon during the eclipse can vary depending on the conditions of Earth's atmosphere, with thicker clouds or dust causing the moon to appear a deeper shade of red.
The lengthy totality phase of this week's event means that the moon will spend over an hour in Earth's shadow, but the main event begins much earlier. Here's a quick breakdown of the event as the moon slowly travels through Earth's shadow:
- Beginning at 11:57 p.m. ET on March 15, the moon enters Earth's penumbra, or the outer part of its shadow, and might very subtly dim. The difference in brightness may not be noticeable until around 12:30 a.m. ET on March 16, according to Sky & Telescope.
- The partial eclipse will begin at 1:09 a.m. ET as the moon enters Earth's umbra, or the inner shadow of our planet. A "bite" will appear on one side of the moon as the round shadow shifts across its face, moving from lower left to upper right.
- At 2:26 a.m. ET, the entire moon will be within Earth’s umbra and will appear dark, but this dark phase will only last briefly. The eclipse peak is expected at 2:59 a.m. ET, and totality ends at 3:31 a.m. ET.
- During totality, the moon will display stunning shades of coppery, orange, or red, depending on atmospheric conditions. Binoculars or a telescope may provide a closer look, and a camera on a tripod can capture impressive long-exposure images.
- As the eclipse progresses, the moon will gradually emerge from Earth's inner shadow, receding from upper left to lower right and resembling a "bite" on the opposite side until 4:48 a.m. ET. The moon will then fully exit our planet's outer shadow at 6 a.m. ET, marking the end of the eclipse.
Jupiter and Mars will also be visible in the western sky during the eclipse, and the dimming of the moon’s brightness may make it easier to spot nearby constellations.
The Full Worm Moon
Total lunar eclipses always occur during the full moon stage, and this time it's the full worm moon. The moon will be at its fullest at 2:55 a.m. ET on Friday morning, but it will appear full throughout Saturday morning as well, according to NASA.
In the past, the belief was that indigenous tribes named March's full moon the worm moon due to earthworms coming out of the warming soil to mark the start of the spring season. However, recent research suggests that worms might have been a reference to beetle larvae emerging from the thawing bark of trees instead.
The first moon of the spring season holds a multitude of other names across various indigenous groups, including the Little Spring Moon by the Creek, Moon When the Leaves Break Forth by the Pueblo peoples, and the Sap Moon by the Shawnee.
March's full moon is also considered a micromoon, a term given when the moon is at its greatest distance from Earth and appears about 7% smaller than a typical full moon, according to EarthSky. The moon will be 249,823 miles (402,051 kilometers) away from Earth on Friday, compared to its average distance of 238,855 miles (384,400 kilometers).
More Eclipses to Follow
Eclipses tend to occur in pairs, so expect a partial solar eclipse on March 29, following the lunar eclipse.
A partial solar eclipse occurs when the moon moves between the sun and Earth, but the celestial bodies aren’t perfectly aligned, which results in only a portion of the sun being blocked. During a partial solar eclipse, the sun appears as a crescent, with the moon seemingly taking a "bite" out of the sun.
The upcoming partial solar eclipse on March 29 will be visible over parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America.
A similar sequence of events will repeat in the fall, with a total lunar eclipse followed by a partial solar eclipse. The second total lunar eclipse will be visible from Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, parts of eastern South America, Alaska, and Antarctica on September 7 and 8. The second partial solar eclipse will take place on September 21, and people in parts of Australia and Antarctica, as well as some Pacific Ocean islands will be able to witness it.
Head to Time and Date's website to find out when each of these eclipses will occur and the specific locations that will be able to view them. Happy sky-watching, fellow astro-enthusiasts!
- The total lunar eclipse on the night of Thursday, March 15, or early Friday, March 16, will display stunning shades of coppery, orange, or red during its totality phase, due to sunlight passing through Earth's atmosphere.
- Lunar eclipses, including the one this week, always occur during the full moon phase, commonly known as the full worm moon, as it was believed that indigenous tribes named it after earthworms emerging from the warming soil to mark the start of spring.
- In the following weeks, another celestial event called a partial solar eclipse will occur on March 29, when the moon moves between the sun and Earth, creating a crescent-shaped sun with the moon seemingly taking a "bite" out of it, visible over various parts of the world.
