A blood moon, properly called a Total Lunar Eclipse, will appear on the evening of March 13th and the early hours of March 14th—they’re rare, so you don’t want to miss it. Here’s everything you should know about when and where you can view the blood moon, and why the moon appears red.
What Causes a Total Lunar Eclipse to Appear “Blood” Red?
A blood moon—so called because of the reddish-orange hue the moon acquires—occurs when the Earth gets between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow on the Moon.
But why isn’t it completely black?
When light passes through the Earth’s atmosphere, its path gets interrupted and it starts to scatter. However, that scattering affects some colors more than others.
Violet and blue light scatter more than green light, and red light scatters the least. That is why the sky appears blue during the day, and at sunset—when the light passes through more of the atmosphere—the sky appears orange or red. The blue light has been scattered so much that it doesn’t even reach you, and only the redder shades remain.
Something similar happens during a total lunar eclipse. Like at sunset, the blue light (and most of the green light) is completely scattered away, allowing only the orange and red light to pass through the atmosphere.
However, that red light also refracts through the Earth’s atmosphere, effectively bending around the Earth, resulting in some red light reaching the moon even though the Earth is in the way. It’s a bit like how a magnifying glass or camera lens works.
If the atmosphere is relatively clear, less green light will be scattered, and the eclipse will tend to look more orange. On the other hand, if there is a lot of extra stuff in the air (like pollution, dust, volcanic ash, or smoke from a wildfire), the scattering will be more intense, and the moon will appear a deeper shade of red.
Where Will the Total Lunar Eclipse Be Visible?
The best view of the eclipse will occur for people in North and South America. However, people in some Western Europe and Western Africa will be able to catch a glimpse as the moon is setting.
Viewers in parts of the Pacific will be able to view the totality as the moon rises.
When Does the Eclipse Start?
The partial eclipse begins at 1:10 AM Eastern time (10:10 Pacific), though astute observers might be able to notice the penumbral phase (where the moon is only lightly shadowed) begin at 11:57 PM Eastern time.
Totality begins at 2:26 AM Eastern time and will last for 65 minutes until 3:31 AM The eclipse will then gradually fade until it disappears completely at 6:00 AM.
|
Eastern Time |
Central Time |
Mountain Time |
Pacific Time |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Penumbral Eclipse Begins |
11:57 PM |
10:57 PM |
9:57 PM |
8:57 PM |
|
Partial Eclipse Begins |
1:10 AM |
12:10 AM |
11:10 PM |
10:10 PM |
|
Total Eclipse Begins |
2:26 AM |
1:26 AM |
12:26 AM |
11:26 PM |
|
Total Eclipse Ends |
3:31 AM |
2:31 AM |
1:31 AM |
12:31 AM |
|
Partial Eclipse Ends |
4:48 AM |
3:48 AM |
2:48 AM |
1:48 AM |
|
Penumbral Eclipse Ends |
6:00 AM |
5:00 AM |
4:00 AM |
3:00 AM |
What is the Best Way to View a Blood Moon?
The naked eye is probably the best way to view a total lunar eclipse, since the moon is easily visible even without extra magnification.
Telescopes and binoculars can improve the view, especially if you want to take a closer look at the details on the Moon’s surface. If you do want to use a telescope or binoculars, keep in mind that you don’t need intense magnification to get a great view of the moon. Any pair of binoculars and any telescope will do the trick.
If you’re not able to catch this eclipse, there will be another total lunar eclipse visible in the United States in early March 2026.
