Latest from Space.com in Lunar-eclipses

An 'almost blood moon' is coming on Aug. 27 and it'll be the best lunar eclipse until NYE 2028

daisy.dobrijevic@space.com (Daisy Dobrijevic) — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000

One month from today, skywatchers across the Americas, Europe and Africa will have the chance to witness the best lunar eclipse until New Year's Eve 2028.

On Aug. 28, Earth's shadow will cover up to 96% of the moon's disk in an exceptionally deep partial lunar eclipse. At maximum eclipse, only a thin sliver of the moon will remain outside Earth's darkest shadow, creating an "almost blood moon" with nearly the entire lunar surface glowing a deep reddish-orange.

Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse is completely safe to observe with the naked eye and requires no special equipment. All you need is clear skies and a view of the moon.

Where can I see the lunar eclipse?

A map of the lunar eclipse on Aug. 27-28, 2026. Click the arrows in the bottom left corner to expand to full screen. (Image credit: F. Espenak, NASA's GSFC)

The eclipse will be visible across Europe, Africa, the Americas and parts of western Asia, though exactly what you'll see depends on your location.

The Americas are particularly well-placed to catch the eclipse's most dramatic stages, as many locations will see the moon rise already deep within Earth's shadow. Across eastern North America, observers will see the "almost blood moon" climb above the horizon shortly before or during maximum eclipse.

Across Europe and Africa, the eclipse occurs before dawn on Aug. 28. Observers in the U.K. and western Europe will see the moon low in the western sky during the final stages of the eclipse, before it sets shortly after maximum. Farther east, progressively less of the eclipse will be visible before moonset.

North & South America: Best overall views
Europe & Africa: Excellent predawn moonset eclipse
Western Asia: Limited views before moonset
Eastern Asia: Little or no visibility.

What will it look like?

A deep partial lunar eclipse makes for an impressive skywatching event. (Image credit: Laurie LaPorte via Getty Images)

Because 96% of the moon will pass through Earth's central dark shadow, known as the umbra, this eclipse is expected to look remarkably similar to a total lunar eclipse or a "blood moon" lunar eclipse. The moon will likely take on a deep coppery-red hue with only a narrow bright silver lining remaining.

Follow along with Space.com

Over the coming month, Space.com will bring you everything you need to prepare for eclipse night. From viewing guides and photographing the event to a live blog bringing you the latest news and action from the best lunar eclipse until NYE 2028. We'll also be releasing details on how you can watch the eclipse online if you're unable to catch it in person.

August 2026 lunar eclipse: Everything you need to know about the 96% 'blood moon'

Jamie Carter — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 19:00:00 +0000

On Aug. 27-28, 2026, a very deep partial lunar eclipse will be visible from Europe, Africa, North America and South America, with just over 96% of the moon passing into Earth's shadow.

Lunar eclipses happen when Earth is between the sun and a full moon. During the event, the moon moves through Earth's umbra, the dark center of its shadow.

Where will the August 2026 partial lunar eclipse be visible?

The best views of the August 2026 partial lunar eclipse will be from North and South America. According to Time and Date, about 12% of the world's population — 987 million people — will see all phases of the eclipse (penumbral and partial), while around 16% — 1.3 billion — will see all of the partial phase. Viewing conditions will depend on the local weather, with western U.S. states, northern Chile and inland Brazil statistically offering the best odds of clear skies.

What will happen during the partial lunar eclipse?

A map of the lunar eclipse on Aug. 27-28, 2026. Click the arrows in the bottom left corner to expand to full screen. (Image credit: F. Espenak, NASA's GSFC)

The Aug. 27-28, 2026, event will be the first deep partial lunar eclipse anywhere in the world since Sept. 18, 2024, and the last until Jan. 11-12, 2028 (when only 2.4% of the moon will be in Earth's umbral shadow). As such, 2026's partial lunar eclipse will be the most impressive lunar eclipse until a total lunar eclipse on Dec. 31, 2028.

During the August 2026 eclipse, the full "Sturgeon Moon" will rise and, later that night, pass into Earth's umbral shadow. As it does, the full moon will dim and, as the partial eclipse reaches its peak, look slightly reddish-orange. However, it won't be a true "blood moon" because at no point will there be lunar totality — when the entire lunar surface falls under Earth's shadow. The eclipse — including both the slight penumbral (when the moon drifts into Earth's fuzzy outer shadow) and partial phases — will last 5 hours, 38 minutes.

This partial lunar eclipse will occur just over five days after the moon reaches apogee — its farthest point from Earth on its slightly elliptical orbit — making it of average apparent size.

A deep partial lunar eclipse makes for an impressive skywatching event. (Image credit: Laurie LaPorte via Getty Images)

What time is the August 2026 partial lunar eclipse in North America?

Lunar eclipses occur at the same universal time worldwide, but the local clock time and whether the moon is above the horizon vary by location. This one will happen between 9:23 p.m. EDT on Thursday, Aug. 27, and 3:01 a.m. EDT on Friday, Aug. 28 (0123 and 0701 GMT on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026) with the peak of the event — when 96.2% of the lunar surface will appear reddish — happening at 0412 GMT. That translates to the following local times in North America:

Eastern time: 12:12 a.m. EDT on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026
Central time: 11:12 p.m. CDT on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026
Mountain time: 10:12 p.m. MDT on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026
Pacific time: 9:12 p.m. PDT on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026
Alaska time: 8:12 p.m. AKDT on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026

These are the times for maximum eclipse only. However, it's worth looking at the moon about 39 minutes before these times to see the edge of Earth's shadow inch across the lunar surface as the partial phase builds (and vice versa after maximum eclipse).

What time is the August 2026 partial lunar eclipse in Europe?

In Europe, the eclipse will occur early on Friday, Aug. 28, but it will set during the partial phase.

Here's when maximum eclipse will occur in various locations within Europe (further east of these locations, maximum eclipse is not visible):

London, U.K.: 5:12 a.m. BST on Aug. 28, 2026 (sunrise at 6:06 a.m. BST, moonset at 6:15 a.m. BST)
Paris, France: 6:12 a.m. CEST on Aug. 28, 2026 (sunrise at 7:01 a.m. CEST, moonset at 7:09 a.m. CEST)
Madrid, Spain: 6:12 a.m. CEST on Aug. 28, 2026 (sunrise at 7:38 a.m. CEST, moonset at 7:46 a.m. CEST)
Brussels, Belgium: 6:12 a.m. CEST on Aug. 28, 2026 (sunrise at 6:49 a.m. CEST, moonset at 6:58 a.m. CEST)
Berlin, Germany: 6:12 a.m. CEST on Aug. 28, 2026 (sunrise at 6:10 a.m. CEST, moonset at 6:17 a.m. CEST)

For some observers the partially eclipsed moon will be visible close to moonset. (Image credit: WW News via Getty Images)

When is the next total lunar eclipse?

Here are the dates and locations for upcoming total lunar eclipses:

Dec. 31-Jan. 1, 2028-2029: A total lunar eclipse will be visible from Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Northern and Western North America, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Arctic.
June 25-26, 2029: A total lunar eclipse will be visible from Europe, Western Asia, Africa, North America, South America, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and Antarctica.
Dec. 20-21, 2029: A total lunar eclipse will be visible from Europe, Asia, Northern and Western Australia, Africa, North America, South America, the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean and the Arctic.

Additional resources

Want to look further ahead? You can find a concise summary of lunar eclipses out to 2026 here on Space.com. Read more about solar and lunar eclipses on EclipseWise.com, a website dedicated to predictions of eclipses, and find beautiful maps on eclipse cartographer Michael Zeiler's EclipseAtlas.com and interactive Google Maps on Xavier Jubier's eclipse website. You can find climate and weather predictions by meteorologist Jay Anderson on eclipsophile.com.

Bibliography

Jubier, X. (n.d.). Lunar eclipses: Interactive Google Maps. Retrieved May 5, 2026, from http://xjubier.free.fr/n/site_pages/Lunar_Eclipses.html

Time and Date. (n.d.). Partial Lunar Eclipse on 28 Aug 2026: Map & Times. Retrieved May 5, 2026, from: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/map/2026-august-28

Cameron Smith, I. Partial Lunar Eclipse of 28 Aug, 2026 AD. Retrieved May 5, 2026, from: https://moonblink.info/Eclipse/eclipse/2026_08_28

The total lunar eclipse 2026 dazzles in incredible photos from around the world

Anthony Wood — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 11:06:50 +0000

The March 3 total lunar eclipse has been and gone, astounding skywatchers around the world with a breathtaking display of orbital mechanics as the lunar disk plunged into Earth's umbral shadow, transforming it into a crimson-hued blood moon.

A total lunar eclipse occurs as Earth passes between the moon and the sun during a full moon phase. No direct sunlight can reach the lunar surface during totality, as the lunar disk passes through the deepest part of our planet's shadow, known as its umbra. Instead, the moon is doused in sunlight that has been filtered by Earth's atmosphere — which is adept at scattering blue light while allowing longer redder wavelengths to pass relatively unhindered — causing it to turn a rusty, blood red color.

Totality was visible across large parts of the Americas, Asia and Oceania, many of whom captured gorgeous photos as Earth's shadow swept across the March full moon, providing a brief reminder of the grand scale of the orbital mechanics governing our solar system.

Read on to see a selection of mesmerizing images of the March 3 blood moon and don't forget to check out our total lunar eclipse live blog if you're looking for a recap of yesterday's spectacular event.

Spectacular photos of the total lunar eclipse 2026

Our first photo of the eclipsed moon was captured by Phil Walter as it hung in the skies over Auckland, New Zealand, as Earth's shadow began its tentative creep over the western edge of the lunar disk during the partial phase. Remember: Images of the moon captured from the southern hemisphere appear "upside down" compared to what northern hemisphere viewers are used to seeing, while shots taken near the equator are more likely to show the moon resting on its side.

The partially eclipsed moon photographed over New Zealand. (Image credit: Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Ted Aljibe took another striking image of the lunar disk as it glowed orange over the city of Manila in the Philippines. Its striking color here isn't a result of the eclipse, but rather the lunar disk's proximity to the horizon in the period directly following moonrise, when its reflected sunlight has to make a prolonged journey through Earth's atmosphere, which scatters blue light.

The partially eclipsed moon shines over the city of Manila in the Philippines. (Image credit: Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP via Getty Images)

That same moon was spotted just a few minutes later from Beijing, China, by photographer Fred Lee. The lunar sea Mare Crisium (the Sea of Crisis) is just visible as a dark circular feature at the top of the sunlit lunar disk, where lava flooded a network of impact craters over a billion years ago, before hardening into a vast basaltic plain.

The moon is transformed into a lunar crescent by the sweeping curve of Earth's shadow. (Image credit: Photo by Fred Lee/Getty Images)

Lee also snapped a wide-angle shot of the moon as direct sunlight illuminated a thin crescent of its outer disk, mere minutes before the onset of totality, as the Beijing skyline stretched out below, pouring light into the night sky. Sunlight refracted through Earth's atmosphere can already be seen softly illuminating the shadowed part of the lunar disk, making lunar maria visible to the naked eye.

An almost fully eclipsed moon hangs low over a city skyline at night, with a thin crescent of its upper right edge illuminated by sunlight. (Image credit: Photo by Fred Lee/Getty Images)

The moon took on a foreboding crimson hue as it slipped into the deepest part of Earth's umbral shadow. Tayfun Coskun captured the lunar disk soon after the period of totality began, documenting the deep orange-red hue of its surface. A patch of bluish light can also be spotted on the lower edge of the lunar disk. This fleeting phenomenon, sometimes known as the "turquoise band," occurs when red light is scattered by the ozone layer in Earth's upper atmosphere, which allows the blue wavelengths of light through to bend onto the lunar surface, according to Time and Date.

A blue flash on a red moon. (Image credit: Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Ezra Acayan snapped a glorious photo of the blood moon as it glowed through a gap in the clouds over the city of Santa Rosa in the Philippines, as faint stars fought for attention close by.

The March blood moon shines in a cloudy sky over the Philippines (Image credit: Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)

Acayan combined several images into a stunning composite view, revealing the sweeping progress of Earth's shadow in impressive detail during the partial and total phases of the blood moon eclipse.

The March 3 lunar eclipse laid bare. (Image credit: Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)

Astrophotographer Keith Odendahl took a beautifully detailed image of the fully-eclipsed moon as it glowed in the sky over the city of Price in Utah. Bright streaks known as ejecta rays can be seen streaking away from young impact craters in Odendahl's photo, whose existence testifies to the incredible force unleashed in their creation.

The March blood moon shines over the state of Utah in North America. (Image credit: Keith Odendahl)

Trần Hữu Thịnh captured another beautiful composite view of the total and waning partial phases of the blood moon eclipse as they unfolded over Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam on March 3, soon after sunset for that part of the world.

The phases of the March blood moon eclipse seen over Vietnam. (Image credit: Trần Hữu Thịnh)

Tang Chhin, meanwhile, took a photo of the waning partial phase of the eclipse, as Earth's curved shadow slipped from the lunar disk, revealing the ancient lava plains of Mare Imbrium, Procellarum, Nubium and Humorum. The 51-mile (82-kilometer) expanse of the Tycho impact crater can also be seen, dominating the brighter right side of the lunar portrait.

The waning partial phase of the eclipse captured over Cambodia. (Image credit: Photo by TANG CHHIN Sothy / AFP via Getty Images)

Finally, Lauren DeCicca captured this gorgeous image of the uneclipsed lunar disk from Chiang Mai, Thailand on March 3.

The full "Worm Moon" shines on March 3, 2026. (Image credit: Photo by Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images)

With the March blood moon in the rearview mirror, you'll have to wait until New Year's Eve 2028 for the next total lunar eclipse. Thankfully, there's still plenty more eclipse action to come this year, including a spectacular total solar eclipse on Aug. 12, which will see the path of totality fall across Greenland, Iceland and Spain as the lunar disk completely blocks out the face of our parent star.

Hoping to catch a glimpse of the Aug. 12 total solar eclipse? Then you're going to need to pick up a pair of quality eclipse glasses to protect your eyes, such as the model listed above, or if you want a closer look, you could opt for a set of specialized sunoculars.

Editor's Note: If you would like to share your astrophotography with Space.com's readers, then please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.

Totality is over — Feast your eyes on the 1st photos of the blood moon total lunar eclipse 2026

Anthony Wood — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 12:03:39 +0000

An incredible total lunar eclipse is still unfolding across North America, though totality has now come to an end. Earth's shadow transformed the full moon into a dramatic blood moon earlier tonight and the first mesmerizing images are already pouring in.

Breathtaking views of both the partial and spectacular blood moon phases of the total lunar eclipse are already flooding the internet, captured by photographers situated in America and Oceania.

While totality has ended, the eclipse is far from over. Be sure to follow along with our total lunar eclipse live blog and to read our watch live article to discover where to stream the eclipse online for free!

First views of the March 3 total lunar eclipse

Mirko Harnisch and the Dunedin Astronomical Society captured a gorgeous view of the full moon during the partial eclipse phase from New Zealand, as seen in this still from The Virtual Telescope Project livestream.

The image was captured shortly after Earth's curved inner shadow began its slow journey across the lunar disk, darkening the lunar seas sprawling across the western portion of its surface. The March full moon is commonly known as the Worm Moon and is named for the time of year when the ground softens to allow earthworms and burrowing beetles to emerge.

Earth's shadow begins its slow creep across the moon during the March 3 eclipse, as seen from New Zealand in the southern hemisphere. (Image credit: Mirko Harnisch & Dunedin Astronomical Society, (New Zealand) via The Virtual Telescope Project.)

Photographer Ted Aljibe captured a gorgeous view of the partially eclipsed full moon as it rose over the city of Manila in the Philippines, as Earth's shadow veiled the lower part of its disk.

An eclipsed moon rises over Manila. (Image credit: Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP via Getty Images)

Our next view comes courtesy of Time and Date and was taken as a small crescent of the lunar disk peeked out around the massive sweep of our planet's umbral shadow late into the partial phase. The dark basaltic plain of Mare Crisium (the Sea of Crisis) can be seen as a small oval at the top of the sunlit portion, with Mare Fecunditatis (the Sea of Fertility) below, marking regions where liquid lava once flooded the lunar surface.

Earth's shadow darkens the lunar surface shortly before the onset of the blood moon phase during totality. (Image credit: Time and Date.)

Harnisch and the Dunedin Astronomical Society were able to capture another gorgeous view of the lunar disk as it hung over New Zealand during totality, as sunlight filtered by Earth's atmosphere was bent onto its ancient surface, transforming the worm moon into a dramatic blood moon.

The fully eclipsed blood moon shines over New Zealand. (Image credit: Mirko Harnisch & Dunedin Astronomical Society (New Zealand) via the Virtual Telescope Project)

Time and Date provided yet another perspective of the blood moon from its mobile observatory in Yucca Valley, California, in which the outlines of the lunar seas can be seen darkening the crimson orb as it drifted silently behind Earth, hidden from the sun.

A view of totality from Yucca Valley, California (Image credit: Time and Date.)

Finally, photographer Phil Walker snapped this impressive view of the full moon during totality from northern New Zealand, as it bathed in the light of every sunrise and sunset on Earth.

Totality observed from northern New Zealand by photographer Phil Walter. (Image credit: Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Be sure to follow along live with our total lunar eclipse live blog, which will keep you up to date with all of the major milestones as Earth's shadow slips inexorably from the face of its natural satellite. The March 3 eclipse will draw to a close at 9:23 a.m. EST (1423 GMT), when the outer part of Earth's shadow — known as its penumbral shadow — departs the lunar disk.

Editor's Note: If you would like to share your photos of the March 3 blood moon eclipse with Space.com's readers, then please send your images along with your comments, name and location to spacephotos@space.com.

Total lunar eclipse weather forecast: Will US skies be clear for the blood moon?

Joe Rao — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 18:00:00 +0000

As viewing prospects for Tuesday (March 3) morning's total lunar eclipse are concerned, it seems that about half of the nation will have at least some occasional views of the moon plunging through the Earth's dark shadow. The totality — aka the blood moon phase — will begin at 6:03 a.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, which corresponds to 3:03 a.m. Pacific time. Totality will last 58 minutes.

The regions of the country that will likely have the best overall weather conditions for the moon show will be southeast New England, much of the Florida peninsula, the northern Rockies, the Southwest deserts, Nevada, and most of California.

In contrast, several weather disturbances will induce considerable cloud cover primarily over the central and eastern states. A quasi-stationary front stretching across the Central Plains through the Upper Midwest east to the Mid-Atlantic region will be accompanied by a broad swath of clouds and wet weather, with the heaviest rains falling over parts of eastern Kansas, northeastern Missouri, central Illinois and west-central Indiana.

Other areas where eclipse weather will be problematic will be over parts of Utah, Wyoming and Colorado, where light rain and snow may fall, as well as portions of the Northern Plains to the upper Great Lakes, where a cold front will be dropping southward from south-central Canada. In addition, an inverted trough of low pressure developing near the coast of the Carolinas will induce a moist flow of air from the Atlantic Ocean that will translate into widespread cloudiness across the Piedmont region of the Southeast U.S.

Also, near and along the Pacific coast of Washington, Oregon, and California, a marine layer of low clouds will be in place at eclipse time, which could hide the moon.

So far as New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New England are concerned, it is unfortunate that the eclipse does not take place 12 hours sooner. On Tuesday evening, for these locations, skies will likely be beautifully clear and moonlit thanks to a large dome of high pressure sitting over southeast New York. However, as the night progresses, that protective shield of fair skies will rapidly shift to the east and out over the Atlantic Ocean and will allow lowering and thickening cloud cover to move in from the west, which — depending on how rapidly the cloud shield advances — could partially or completely obscure the moon by eclipse time. Those who want to be assured of a good view of this shady little celestial drama should travel to the east to stay ahead of the clouds. Locations that hold the most promise for clear skies include eastern Massachusetts, southeast New Hampshire and southern Maine.

NOAA Sky Cover (%) map for March 3, from the National Digital Forecast Database (Image credit: NOAA National Weather Service)

We have provided a map of the percentage of cloud/sky cover, valid for Tuesday at 7 a.m. EST, from NOAA's National Digital Database. It shows those regions where sky conditions look the best . . . and worse, for eclipse watchers. We can break things down into three categories:

GOOD: Cloud cover ranges from clear to scattered cloud cover; generally, a sky cover of no more than 30%.

FAIR: Cloud cover ranges from scattered to broken cloud cover; generally, 30% to no more than 70%. Despite the existing clouds, there will probably be large breaks and openings that will allow for periodic views of the moon going into eclipse, especially for places with no more than 50% sky cover.

POOR: Cloud cover ranges from 70% to complete overcast. At worst, a complete shut-out of the eclipse. At best, perhaps some occasional views of the moon like what poet Alfred Noyes described in "The Highwaymen": "The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas."

For any late updates in your local weather forecast, of course, check with your local National Weather Service Forecast Office. Just click on that part of the map where you live and you'll be taken to the NWS office that serves your area. There, you will find all the latest weather information pertaining to your area.

Also, check for the latest satellite imagery of your region courtesy of the GOES 16 weather satellite.

If you are clouded out, the next chance at seeing a total lunar eclipse from the contiguous U.S. will come on the night of June 25-26, 2029. It will be an unusually long totality, lasting 102 minutes. Later this year, on the night of August 27-28, an "almost" total lunar eclipse will take place, with 93% of the moon becoming immersed in the Earth's dark umbral shadow.

You can also watch all the action unfold from the comfort of your home with these free lunar eclipse livestreams and follow along with our lunar eclipse live update blog.

A total lunar eclipse will turn the full moon blood red for over 3 billion people tonight

daisy.dobrijevic@space.com (Daisy Dobrijevic) — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Editor's note: Totality has come to an end after putting on a spectacular show for billions of stargazers spread across the night side of Earth. Check out our wrap article to see the first gorgeous photos and images of the March 3 blood moon total lunar eclipse!

Tonight, the full moon will slip into Earth's darkest shadow during a total lunar eclipse and create a stunning 'blood moon'. This will take place in the early hours of March 3 for skywatchers in the U.S., so make sure you set your alarm!

Lunar eclipses are completely safe to watch with the naked eye; no filters or special glasses are needed (unlike solar eclipses). All you need to do is make sure you find the moon at the right time, sit back, relax and enjoy the remarkable show.

If you're unable to catch the eclipse in person, you can watch all the action unfold here on Space.com with these free livestreams. You can also follow along with our lunar eclipse live blog.

Where to look

The total lunar eclipse tonight will be visible to skywatchers across North America, Australia, New Zealand and eastern Asia, weather permitting. Over 40% of the world's population will be able to see at least some of the blood moon phase, according to Time and Date.

The best views of the lunar eclipse will be from the western half of North America, Australia and the Pacific. U.S. skywatchers in eastern time zones will be able to catch the blood moon just before it sets below the western horizon, but will not be able to watch the entirety of totality.

When to look

The best time to look at the total lunar eclipse will be at 6:33 a.m. EST (1133 GMT) on March 3 during the peak of totality when the moon sits in the deepest part of Earth's shadow.

But if you have the time, it's worth getting comfortable and watching the entire eclipse, at least from the partial eclipse phase beginning around 4:50 a.m. EST (0950 GMT), when you'll be able to see Earth's shadow gradually take bigger and bigger bites out of the moon. It'll feel like you're watching the monthly phases of the moon sped up into just a few hours. Then, at 6:04 a.m. EST (1104 GMT), the moon will turn blood red as it enters the totality phase, which will last for 58 minutes according to Time and Date.

Top viewing tips for tonight

Combat the clouds: Make sure to check your local weather forecast and have a nearby backup spot if you need to change plans.
Take your time: The drama of a total lunar eclipse builds slowly. Plan to watch it before, during and after totality to really appreciate the spectacle.
Low horizon? Across the eastern U.S., the moon will set during the totality phase. Pick an observing spot with a clear view of the western horizon.

Editor's note: If you capture a photo of the total lunar eclipse and would like to share it with us, please email it to spacephotos@space.com along with any comments.

What time is the blood moon total lunar eclipse tonight?

daisy.dobrijevic@space.com (Daisy Dobrijevic) — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 13:53:28 +0000

A total lunar eclipse will occur on March 3, creating a dramatic red "blood moon" for skywatchers across North America, Australia and East Asia.

During the March lunar eclipse, totality — when the moon is fully immersed in Earth's dark umbral shadow and appears blood-red — will begin at 6:04 a.m. EST (1104 GMT) on March 3 and peak at 6:33 a.m. EST (1133 GMT). Totality will last for approximately 58 minutes, after which the moon will begin to exit from Earth's shadow.

Over 40% of the world's population will be able to see at least some of the total phase of the lunar eclipse. That's over three billion people, according to Time and Date. It will be the last total lunar eclipse anywhere on Earth until New Year's Eve 2028-2029.

North America - lunar eclipse timings

Penumbral eclipse begins: 3:44 a.m. EST (08:44 GMT)
Partial eclipse begins: 4:50 a.m. EST (09:50 GMT)
Totality: 6:04–7:02 a.m. EST (11:04–12:02 GMT)
Maximum eclipse: 6:33 a.m. EST (11:33 GMT)
Partial eclipse ends: 8:17 a.m. EST (13:17 GMT)

Key viewing times worldwide

Here are some key viewing times for the March 3 total lunar eclipse across different time zones, according to Time and Date. The timings represent when totality will occur, turning our lunar neighbor into a blood moon:

Eastern time: 6:04-7:02 a.m. EST on March 3, 2026 (the moon will set during totality in the Eastern time zone)
Central time: 5:04-6:02 a.m. CST on March 3, 2026
Mountain time: 4:04-5:02 a.m. MST on March 3, 2026
Pacific time: 3:04-4:02 a.m PST on March 3, 2026
Alaska time: 2:04-3:02 a.m. AKST on March 3, 2026
Hawaii time: 1:04-2:02 a.m. HST on March 3, 2026
New Zealand: 12:04-1:02 a.m. NZDT on March 4, 2026
Sydney: 10:04-11:02 p.m. AEDT on March 3, 2026
Brisbane, Australia: 9:04-10:02 p.m. AEST on March 3, 2026
Adelaide, Australia: 9:34-10:32 p.m. ACDT on March 3, 2026
Darwin, Australia: 8:34-9:32 p.m. on March 3, 2026
Perth, Australia: 7:04-8:02 p.m. on March 3, 2026
Tokyo: 8:04-9:02 p.m. JST on March 3, 2026
Seoul: 8:04-9:02 p.m. KST on March 3, 2026
Beijing: 7:04-8:02 p.m. CST on March 3, 2026
Hong Kong: 7:04-8:02 p.m. HKT on March 3, 2026

This total lunar eclipse composite image, captured from Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sept. 7, 2025, shows the stages of a total lunar eclipse. (Image credit: Isura Nimantha/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

If you're unable to catch the lunar eclipse in person, we'll be livestreaming the event on Space.com. You can also follow along with the latest updates in our lunar eclipse live blog.

What will happen?

The eclipse begins at 3:44 a.m. EST (0844 GMT) when the moon enters Earth's penumbral shadow, causing a subtle shading effect. As it moves deeper into the umbra, a dark shadow will creep across the lunar surface and the moon will turn a reddish-orange hue during maximum eclipse. The overall duration of the lunar eclipse will be 5 hours and 39 minutes.

Watch the 'blood moon' total lunar eclipse live online tonight with these free livestreams

Anthony Wood — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Stargazers across the U.S. will be treated to a dramatic orbital display in the early hours of March 3, as Earth's shadow falls across its natural satellite, giving rise to a"blood moon" total lunar eclipse.

Over 3.3 billion people across the Americas, Asia and Oceania will get a glimpse of the climactic blood moon phase, as the lunar disk — fully immersed in Earth's inner shadow — is bathed in sunlight filtered by our atmosphere, turning it a coppery red hue.

If your view of the eclipse is ruined by your location or the weather, there's no need to despair! Read on to discover how to watch the entire event online from the comfort of your home, courtesy of a trio of free YouTube livestreams providing real-time views from the U.S., Canada and Australia. You can also stay up to date by following along with our total lunar eclipse live blog!

Time and Date

Time and Date will host live coverage of the March 3 total lunar eclipse on its YouTube channel, starting at 4:30 a.m. EST (0930 GMT). The stream will feature live views from Los Angeles, Western Australia and potentially more, with expert commentary provided by journalist Anne Buckle and astrophysicist Graham Jones.

Virtual Telescope Project

The Virtual Telescope Project will host a livestream of its own, providing a global perspective of the eclipse starting at 3:30 a.m. EST (0830 GMT), with live views coming from a team of astrophotographers in Australia, the United States and Canada. Gianluca Masi, the organization's founder, will provide live commentary.

Griffith Observatory

Our final livestream comes courtesy of the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, which will stream views of the eclipse on its YouTube channel beginning at 3:37 a.m. EST (0837 GMT). From its vantage point on the west coast of America, the observatory will be perfectly positioned to provide coverage throughout the eclipse, running from the penumbral phase through totality and beyond, as Earth's shadow retreats from the lunar disk.

Auckland Astronomical Society

The Auckland Astronomical Society will livestream the event starting at 3 a.m. EST (0800 GMT) from its location in northern New Zealand, providing crisp views of the lunar disk as it rises above the northeastern horizon in the hours following sunset.

Photographers hoping to immortalize their own views of the blood moon should read our expert's guide to capturing a total lunar eclipse, along with our roundups of the best cameras and lenses for astrophotography.

Editor's Note: If you would like to share your blood moon photos with Space.com's readers, then please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.

See the 'impossible' as sunrise and a total lunar eclipse appear at the same time on March 3

Joe Rao — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000

This year's first lunar eclipse on Tuesday, March 3, offers a rare chance to see a strange celestial sight traditionally thought impossible: the rising sun and the eclipsed moon in the sky at the same time.

Views of the total phase of this eclipse favor locations near and around the Pacific Rim. For North America, places within the Eastern Time Zone will see the moon set during dawn's early light during the total phase; places farther west will be able to catch the moon emerging from the Earth's shadow as it sets, while for sites out in the Far West, the eclipse will be visible from start to finish. Hawaiians will see the moon almost overhead as totality takes place in the hours after midnight. Meanwhile, during local evening hours, Central Asia and western Australia will see the moon rise as it emerges from the Earth's dark shadow. Eastern Australia, Papua New Guinea, as well as much of Japan and eastern Siberia, will see it all during convenient evening hours.

The moon passes through the southern part of the Earth's shadow, with totality beginning at 3:03 a.m. PST and lasting 59 minutes. Across the eastern half of the United States and Canada, there will be a chance to observe an unusual effect, one that celestial geometry seems to dictate can't happen. The little-used name for this effect is a "selenelion" (or "selenehelion") and occurs when both the sun and the eclipsed moon can be seen at the same time.

You can stay up to date with everything lunar eclipse in our lunar eclipse live updates blog.

Seeing the impossible

But wait! How is this possible? When we have a lunar eclipse, the sun, Earth and moon are in a geometrically straight line in space, with the Earth in the middle. So, if the sun is above the horizon, the moon must be below the horizon and completely out of sight (or vice versa).

And indeed, during a lunar eclipse, the sun and moon are exactly 180 degrees apart in the sky; thus, in a perfect alignment like this (a "syzygy"), such an observation would seem impossible.

But it is atmospheric refraction that makes a selenelion possible.

Atmospheric refraction causes astronomical objects to appear higher in the sky than they really are.

For example, when you see the sun sitting on the horizon, it is not there. It is, in reality, sitting just below the edge of the horizon, but our atmosphere acts like a lens and bends the sun's image just above the horizon, allowing us to see it.

This effect also lengthens the amount of daylight for several minutes or more each day; we end up seeing the sun for a few minutes in the morning before it has actually risen and for a few extra minutes in the evening after it has actually already set.

The same holds true with the moon, as well.

Because of this atmospheric trick, for many localities, there will be an unusual chance to observe a selenelion firsthand with this impending shadowy event. There will be a short window of roughly 1-to-3 minutes (depending on your location) when you may be able to simultaneously spot the sun rising in the east-southeast and the eclipsed full moon setting in the west-northwest.

Selenelion is when the rising sun and an eclipsed moon are visible at the same time due to atmospheric refraction. (Image credit: Created in Canva Pro)

Regions of visibility

For places to the west of the Continental Divide, this effect, unfortunately, may not be visible. For most places in the Mountain and Pacific Time Zones, the moon will have moved completely free of the dark umbral shadow of the Earth before it sets. Those in the Mountain Time Zone will see the moon set while it is still within the Earth's penumbral shadow.

This shadow is so faint that at least 50-70% of the moon must be immersed within it before you have a chance of detecting it visually, either with your naked eyes or using an optical aid. For places in the southern and central Rockies, such as Santa Fe, New Mexico or Denver, Colorado, the lower-right portion of the moon will appear somewhat darker or "smudged" as it begins to disappear beyond the western horizon.

A map of the March 2026 total lunar eclipse. (Image credit: F. Espenak, NASA's GSFC)

Farther north, however, from Jackson, Wyoming and Butte, Montana, the moon will look perfectly normal as it sets.

Across most places in the Central Time Zone, the total phase will have passed, and the moon will be emerging from the Earth's umbra. Depending on your location, the moon may resemble a crescent, a half-moon, or just a "bite" taken out of its lower right limb.

For most locations in the Eastern Time Zone, the moon will set completely immersed in the Earth's shadow, while for the Atlantic Canada provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland), only the opening partial stages will be visible with the moon setting before totality occurs.

Location	Timezone	Sunrise	Moonset	Eclipse
Halifax	AST	6:48 a.m.	6:49 a.m.	81%
Boston	EST	6:16 a.m.	6:17 a.m.	Total Eclipse
New York	EST	6:26 a.m.	6:28 a.m.	Total Eclipse
Montreal	EST	6:29 a.m.	6:30 a.m.	Total Eclipse
Washington, DC	EST	6:38 a.m.	6:39 a.m.	Total eclipse
Atlanta	EST	7:03 a.m.	7:05 a.m.	97%
Chicago	CST	6:22 a.m.	6:24 a.m.	72%*
New Orleans	CST	6:24 a.m.	6:26 a.m.	69%*
Kansas City	CST	6:48 a.m.	6:51 a.m.	35%*
Austin	CST	6:55 a.m.	6:58 a.m.	26%*
Winnipeg	CST	7:07 a.m.	7:10 a.m.	9%*

This table shows the local times of sunrise and moonset, along with the percentage of the moon's diameter that is within the dark umbral shadow at the time of moonset, for 11 selected cities. An asterisk (*) indicates that totality has already occurred and that the moon is emerging from the umbral shadow. Note that locations farther to the west have the moon and sun together in the sky for a noticeably longer interval. That's because after mid-eclipse, the moon's orbital motion has carried it a bit more to the east and thus higher up in the sky, so it remains in view a bit longer.

Important facts to consider

To observe the selenelion, you should make sure that both your eastern and western horizons are free of any tall obstructions that might block your views of the setting moon or rising sun.

Also, be aware that depending on the clarity of your sky, you might lose sight of the moon about 10 or 15 minutes before sunrise, thanks to the brightening morning twilight and the moon sinking into any horizon haze (atmospheric "schmutz").

Keep in mind that this holds only for the uneclipsed portion of the moon. Indeed, if the moon is totally eclipsed at moonset, you will probably have to scan the western horizon as the twilight increases to detect the darkened moon, which will perhaps resemble a dim and eerily illuminated softball.

The total lunar eclipse tonight will be the last until New Year's Eve 2028

Jamie Carter — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Enjoy the total lunar eclipse on March 3 because it will be the last for a long while.

Observers across East Asia, Australia, the Pacific and western North America will see March's full moon — known as the "Worm Moon" — pass through Earth's shadow, turning a reddish-copper color for 58 spell-binding minutes. However, once the moon emerges from Earth's umbra — the deepest part of Earth's shadow — there will be no further total lunar eclipses for almost three years. A lunar lull will commence and won't end until a neatly-timed total lunar eclipse on New Year's Eve 2028-2029. Here's why — and why 2029 will be a year marking not just the end of a drought, but of three spectacular "blood moon" total lunar eclipses.

You can keep up with the latest blood moon news and progress with our total lunar eclispe live blog.

Lunar eclipses: total vs. partial vs. penumbral

A lunar eclipse occurs when the full moon passes through Earth's ever-present shadow. A cone-like shadow extending from the night side of the planet, it has two parts: a lighter outer penumbra and a darker central umbra. That's because the sun is larger than Earth, so Earth blocks its light in different ways.

Total lunar eclipse: when the whole of the moon passes through the umbra, cutting off all direct sunlight from reaching the lunar surface. The only light that can reach it is filtered through Earth's atmosphere, which scatters short wavelengths of light and bends longer red wavelengths inward. The result is the "blood moon."

Partial lunar eclipse: when a portion of the moon passes through the umbra, cutting off all direct sunlight from reaching some of the lunar surface. The result is the sight of Earth's shadow moving across the full moon, turning some of it a dull grey.

Penumbral lunar eclipse: when none of the moon passes through the umbra, just the outer penumbra, causing the moon to lose some of its brightness.

A total lunar eclipse includes all of these phases: penumbral, partial, and total, a process that can take about five hours.

March 3's total lunar eclipse

Lunar totality will last 58 minutes on March 3, 2026. (Image credit: Laurie LaPorte via Getty Images)

The March 3, 2026, total lunar eclipse will see the moon spend 58 minutes and 18 seconds fully inside Earth's umbra. It has an umbral magnitude of about 1.15, meaning the moon just passes full inside Earth's shadow. Total lunar eclipses with magnitudes only slightly above 1 tend to appear lighter copper or reddish in tone rather than a very dark crimson, because the moon does not travel deeply through the shadow.

That's a mere detail; this total lunar eclipse is sure to be a dramatic event, turning a night sky bleached to blue by the full "Worm Moon" to a very dark sky, with stars appearing around the full moon. The entire event, including the long partial phases before and after totality, will last five hours and 38 minutes.

After March 3, the moon won't fully enter Earth's umbra again until the very end of 2028.

Why will total lunar eclipses disappear for a few years?

The no-totality gap after March 2026 is not unusual. Total lunar eclipses require precise alignments, far more so than partial or penumbral events. That's because the moon's orbit is tilted by about five degrees relative to Earth's orbit around the sun, which means most full moons pass above or below Earth's shadow — the reason why there isn't an eclipse every month. In fact, lunar eclipses can only occur during eclipse seasons, brief windows about six months apart when the sun is near one of the moon's orbital nodes. But even then, totality is not guaranteed.

During many eclipse seasons, the moon merely skims Earth's penumbra and umbra. Partial eclipses — when some of the full moon enters the umbra — can be striking events, but at no point does the lunar surface look reddish. Penumbral eclipses are even subtler, with the lunar surface merely dulled. Compared to a total lunar eclipse, partial and penumbral events lack the drama of totality.

There will be a deep partial lunar eclipse on Aug. 28, 2026. This photograph was captured on Sept. 7, 2025 from Vallejos. Málaga, Spain. (Image credit: Javier Zayas Photography via Getty Images)

What happens to lunar eclipses after March 2026?

After March 3, 2026, there will be no occasions when the moon becomes fully immersed in Earth's umbra for 34 months. Eclipse seasons continue, and lunar eclipses still occur, but none will be total. Here's the sequence of partial and penumbral events to expect from 2026 to 2028.

Aug. 28, 2026 — deep partial lunar eclipse (93% of the moon enters the umbra)
Feb. 20, 2027 — penumbral lunar eclipse
July 18, 2027 — penumbral lunar eclipse
Aug. 17, 2027 — penumbral lunar eclipse
Jan. 12, 2028 — shallow partial lunar eclipse
July 6, 2028 — partial lunar eclipse (39% of the moon enters the umbra)

When total lunar eclipses return

The drought finally ends at the close of 2028, when the slow westward drift of the moon's orbital nodes brings full moons back into deeper alignment with Earth's shadow. What follows will be a tetrad of three total lunar eclipses in a 12-month period.

December 31, 2028 — total lunar eclipse (totality for 71 minutes as seen from Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada and Alaska).
June 26, 2029 — total lunar eclipse (totality for 102 minutes as seen from the Americas, western Europe and Africa).
December 20, 2029 — total lunar eclipse (totality for 54 minutes as seen from North and South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia).

Total lunar eclipses are not rare, but they are episodic, appearing in clusters when the geometry lines up. Are these night-side events worth traveling the world to see? Perhaps not — particularly compared to the geographically much more limited total solar eclipses — but any one location can go many years without one. One thing's for sure about total lunar eclipses: every skywatcher should always know when and where the next one is.

7 easy tips for photographing the 'blood moon' total lunar eclipse tonight

Jamie Carter — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 14:00:00 +0000

In the early hours of March 3, 2026, skywatchers across the U.S. will be treated to a total lunar eclipse — the only one until the end of 2028. During this "blood moon," the full moon will pass through Earth's shadow and glow a rich coppery red for nearly an hour. It's a beautiful and accessible celestial event — and one that anyone can photograph with a little planning.

You don't need advanced gear to photograph a lunar eclipse. What matters more is being ready: knowing when it happens, where to look, and how to adapt your camera or smartphone to changing light. Whether you're snapping on a smartphone or setting up a carefully composed telephoto shot, the most important things are timing, location, and focus. So check your sky, prep your settings, and make it an early morning worth remembering.

Here are 7 easy tips to help you capture the magic.

1. Get the exact time and schedule for your location

The only total lunar eclipse of 2026 — and the last until New Year's Eve 2028-2029 — will take place at the same global time, 08:44 and 14:22 GMT on Tuesday, March 3. It will be best seen in western North America, the Pacific, New Zealand, Australia and East Asia. Totality — the most photogenic part, when the moon will be completely reddish — takes place at these times:

Eastern time: 6:04-7:02 a.m. EST on March 3, 2026 (the moon will set during totality in the Eastern time zone)
Central time: 5:04-6:02 a.m. CST on March 3, 2026
Mountain time: 4:04-5:02 a.m. MST on March 3, 2026
Pacific time: 3:04-4:02 a.m PST on March 3, 2026
Alaska time: 2:04-3:02 a.m. AKST on March 3, 2026
Hawaii time: 1:04-2:02 a.m. HST on March 3, 2026

Although totality is the headline act, there are partial and penumbral phases on either side, which together make the event last over five hours. Visit Time and Date to get a schedule for your location, which will also include where the moon will be in the sky to help you plan your shot.

2. Go west for the best views

Total lunar eclipse captured from Germany on Sept. 7, 2026. The main image you'll want is of a totally eclipsed moon. (Image credit: fhm via Getty Images)

U.S. states in the east won't have a great view, with the moon setting during totality — a frustrating sight. The farther west you head, the better the view will be, with the West Coast a better option than the Midwest. Although the majority of the eclipse will be visible from Chicago, for example, the moon will set just 20 minutes after totality ends, meaning totality will be viewed close to the western horizon. Even in the western U.S., the moon will be low in the western sky during totality, so it's vital to find a site with an unobstructed view to the west. Elevated spots and open fields are wise choices, as is scouting your location a few days beforehand so you know what to expect.

3. Check the climate, then the weather

Cloud cover is the biggest threat to all kinds of eclipse photography, and in early March, it's likely to be a huge consideration. According to historical cloud cover data (which you can check for any location using NASA Worldview), the clearest skies in the U.S. are typically found in the southwestern U.S., making Arizona and California theoretically the best places to be. However, climate is only useful in pre-planning; from about three days out, use weather apps like Windy and Clear Outside to track local forecasts for cloud cover. If you can, have wheels so you can relocate if your original spot is looking cloudy a day or two before.

4. Practice focusing a camera on the moon

One option is a collage of shots from different stages of the eclipse, like this one captured from Japan during an eclipse on Nov. 8, 2022. (Image credit: Copyright Crezalyn Nerona Uratsuji via Getty Images)

If you've never imaged the moon before, read up on how to photograph the moon using a camera and practice — it will make all the difference. If you're using a long lens (200-600mm), try auto-focus on the moon, but also manual focus, using 'live view' to magnify the moon. Make adjustments and, if you want, mark the exact point on the focus wheel. You can do the same for a wide-angle lens, though turning to the infinity icon (∞) on the dial may suffice. Adjust the focus until it's sharp as a tack — blurry totality images are so common and so disappointing.

After the first-quarter moon on February 24, there will be a bright moon in the south and southeast after sunset each night through the eclipse in March. 3. It will get brighter every night; use any clear skies to practice.

5. Adjust exposure throughout the eclipse

During the eclipse, the moon will be swallowed first by Earth's fuzzy outer penumbral shadow, noticeably losing its brightness, but remaining grey. As it enters the darker inner umbral shadow (the partial phase), it darkens significantly before finally turning reddish. According to the late, great eclipse photographer Fred Espenak on Nikon, those after a close-up of the blood moon should set the camera to ISO 400, open the lens to the widest aperture, and try a variety of exposures, adjusting the shutter speed in five-second increments. You'll likely start with fast shutter speeds like 1/250s, aperture at f/8 to f/11 at ISO 400 as the eclipse begins, but for totality it will be more like 1–2 second exposures, f/2.8 aperture and ISO to 800-1600. Making constant adjustments is key — and it's a 58-minute totality, so you have plenty of time to experiment. Bracketing (taking multiple exposures at different settings) is a wise move during totality, with 0.5-second, 1-second and 2-second exposures — all at the same ISO and aperture — will help retain lots of detail.

6. Know how to use a smartphone

Smartphones are getting really good at astrophotography, but that only applies to wide-angle shots; resist the temptation to zoom in on the moon and instead aim to frame it reflected in a lake or pond, among buildings or above mountains or trees. As well as restricting yourself to landscape shots, use some stabilization, such as a small tripod supporting a universal smartphone holder attachment.

At a pinch, you can prop it up against a bottle or a rock — particularly since the eclipse will be taking place relatively low in the sky. It's also wise to use timed exposures to further reduce the threat of movement. Once you're happy with the composition, tap the moon to focus, then slide your finger down to lower the brightness. Shooting in raw is also a good idea, if that's an option.

7. Other things to think about

A group of people enjoying the total lunar eclipse over Amager Strandpark during a total lunar eclipse in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Sept. 7, 2025. (Image credit: Photo by Kristian Tuxen Ladegaard Berg/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Stay warm, always use a tripod, charge your batteries or bring a portable battery, keep spare empty SD cards, and use a shutter release cable or app you trust. Espenak also advises turning on a camera's Long Exposure Noise Reduction feature and, more importantly, placing the moon's image in one corner of the camera's viewfinder. That way, it can drift through the camera's field of view during the exposure, rather than drift out of it. But which corner? For North America, during the eclipse, the moon will move from top-left to bottom-right — it will be on its way to setting in the west.

Photographing a total lunar eclipse — whose totality lasts almost an hour — is so much less frenetic than a total solar eclipse, but take some time between exposures to take in the stunning sight. Total lunar eclipses are like buses; you get none for years, then three come along at once. The blood moon on March 3, 2026, is the last until a trio of total lunar eclipses begins in late 2028, so enjoy it.

What to expect during the 'blood moon' total lunar eclipse tonight: Key phases explained

Anthony Wood — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 18:00:00 +0000

On March 3, billions of people across the Americas, Asia and Oceania will witness a blood moon total lunar eclipse as the sun, Earth and moon align, laying bare the orbital mechanics of the solar system in spectacular fashion.

The eclipse occurs as Earth passes between the sun and moon during the full "Worm Moon" phase, casting the lunar disk into shadow while also bathing it in red light that has been filtered through our planet's dense atmosphere during totality.

Read on to discover what to expect from each phase of the March. 3 total lunar eclipse and remember that you can stay up to date with the latest news, photography and information on the blood moon by following along with our eclipse live blog.

Each eclipse occurs at the same universal time for everyone, but the local time at which it unfolds — and your ability to see each phase — is dictated by your location on Earth. Check Time and Date's eclipse tracker for precise timings for your locale, along with details on which phase will be visible to you.

Penumbral phase

The eclipse kicks off at 3:44 a.m. EST (0833 GMT), as the moon begins to slip into Earth's outer shadow, or penumbra. The subtle darkening that creeps across the lunar surface during this phase is incredibly easy to miss, becoming more pronounced as this early stage draws to a close.

The moon pictured during the penumbral phase of a total lunar eclipse. (Image credit: Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)

Partial phase

The curved silhouette of Earth's inner shadow will become visible, eating into the lunar disk at 4:50 a.m. EST (0950 GMT), marking the beginning of the partial phase of the eclipse. The umbral shadow will appear black during the first half hour, before transitioning to a brown and later deep red hue, in the moments before totality, as our planet's shadow engulfs the last sliver of the moon's exposed crescent.

Earth's shadow encroaches on the moon during a lunar eclipse. (Image credit: Photo by Necmettin Karaca/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Skywatchers in the eastern U.S. in cities like New York will witness the entirety of the partial phase along with the very beginning of totality before the moon slips below the western horizon around surise on March. 3.

Full eclipse - totality

The moon will sink entirely within Earth's umbral shadow at 6:04 a.m. EST (1104 GMT), marking the beginning of totality and the blood moon phase of the eclipse.

A blood moon shines near Japan's Skytree tower in Tokyo. (Image credit: STR/JIJI Press/AFP via Getty Images)

This climactic period will last 58 minutes, during which the lunar disk will adopt a dramatic red hue, as a phenomenon called Rayleigh scattering filters out the shorter blue wavelengths of the sun's light, while allowing longer red ones to fall on the lunar surface.

Maximum eclipse

The eclipse will reach a crescendo at 6:33 a.m. EST (1133 GMT), when the moon will pass closest to the center of Earth's shadow — though it will remain relatively close to its edge — during a point known as the eclipse maximum.

A blood moon captured over Vienna, Austria in September 2025. (Image credit: Photo by Thomas Kronsteiner/Getty Images)

Viewers in states as far east as Alabama, Tennessee, western Ohio and Michigan will witness all 58 minutes of totality before the lunar disk sets, while those further west — in Montana, Wyoming and Colorado, for example — will also see the waning partial phase.

A waning eclipse

At 7:02 a.m. EST (1202 GMT), the full eclipse will reach its end, as a thin silvery crescent of the lunar disk slowly emerges from beneath Earth's gigantic shadow. The hours that follow will see it grow ever thicker, until our planet's inner umbral shadow slips fully from the face of the moon at 8:17 a.m. EST (1317 GMT), followed by the outer shadow at 9:23 a.m. EST (1423 GMT).

Earth's shadow is pictured retreating from the lunar disk during a lunar eclipse seen above Turkey. (Image credit: Photo by HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images)

Want to immortalize your view of the March 3 blood moon? Then be sure to check out our expert guide to photographing a total lunar eclipse, along with our picks of the best cameras and lenses for astrophotography available in 2026. You should also check out our roundup of the top binoculars and telescopes for exploring the lunar disk, if you're hoping to get a closer view of Earth's natural satellite.

Editor's Note: If you snap a picture of the blood moon and want to share it with Space.com's readers, then please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.

Where to see the total lunar eclipse in the early hours of March 3

daisy.dobrijevic@space.com (Daisy Dobrijevic) — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000

The first lunar eclipse of 2026 will transform the moon into a coppery red "blood moon" in the early hours of March 3 for skywatchers in North America.

The long-lasting and impressive blood moon on March 3 will be visible to billions within the path of the eclipse (weather permitting), but exactly what you'll see depends on where you are watching it from.

You can keep up with the latest lunar eclipse news with our lunar eclipse live blog and watch the eclipse online with these free lunar eclipse livestreams.

What is a total lunar eclipe?

A total lunar eclipse occurs when Earth sits between the moon and the sun. With the moon sitting in Earth's shadow, the only light reaching the lunar surface is filtered through Earth's atmosphere, which turns it red, earning it the name blood moon.

Best places to see the lunar eclipse

Though the blood moon total lunar eclipse will be visible across the night side of Earth on March 3, the best views will be from the western half of North America, Australia and the Pacific.

You'll have the best view if you're able to get yourself somewhere dark with clear skies.

Totality, when the moon is fully immersed in Earth's shadow, will last 58 minutes, from 6:04 a.m. EST (1104 GMT) to 7:02 a.m. EST (1202 GMT).

That translates to the following local times in North America:

Eastern time: 6:04-7:02 a.m. EST on March 3, 2026 (the moon will set during totality in the Eastern time zone)
Central time: 5:04-6:02 a.m. CST on March 3, 2026
Mountain time: 4:04-5:02 a.m. MST on March 3, 2026
Pacific time: 3:04-4:02 a.m PST on March 3, 2026
Alaska time: 2:04-3:02 a.m. AKST on March 3, 2026
Hawaii time: 1:04-2:02 a.m. HST on March 3, 2026

To find out whether the eclipse will be visible from your location, visit Time and Date, where you can enter your city to see local visibility details and exact timings. In New York, for example, observers will see the moon slip into totality and turn blood red but maximum eclipse, when the moon moves deepest into Earth's shadow, will occur after moonset and won't be visible.

What to expect

Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely safe to watch with the naked eye. When the eclipse unfolds, you'll gradually see the shift from a bright silver moon to a deep red as Earth's shadow sweeps across it. It's like watching all the phases of the moon at high speed!

Total lunar eclipse March 3 2026: Live updates

daisy.dobrijevic@space.com (Daisy Dobrijevic) — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 16:09:50 +0000

The next lunar eclipse will be a total lunar eclipse on March 3, 2026. It is the first lunar eclipse of the year.

It will be visible in North America and will be the last total lunar eclipse anywhere on Earth until New Year's Eve 2028-2029.

During a total lunar eclipse, the moon will appear to take on a red hue, giving rise to the "blood moon".

Where is it visible? | What time? | Watch online

One week to the blood moon! We're ready, are you?

A blood moon captured over South Africa. (Image credit: WIKUS DE WET/AFP via Getty Images)

In just one week, a spectacular display of orbital mechanics will be visible to billions of people across the Americas, Asia, and Oceania, as Earth's shadow sweeps across the lunar disk, triggering the onset of an awe-inspiring 'blood moon' total lunar eclipse.

Who will be able to see the total lunar eclipse?

The 'blood moon' will be visible to skywatchers across western North America, Australia, New Zealand and eastern Asia, weather dependent. (Image credit: WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)

The March 2026 total lunar eclipse will bring a dramatic blood moon to skies across North America, Australia, New Zealand and eastern Asia — if you know where to look.

Though the blood moon total lunar eclipse will be visible to billions of people across the night side of Earth on March 3, the best views will be from the western half of North America, Australia and the Pacific.

Planning on heading somewhere for the blood moon? We've got you covered

The total lunar eclipse will be visible to billions of people worldwide, weather permitting. (Image credit: Created in Canva Pro)

Still unsure of where you'll be for the last total lunar eclipse until New Year's Eve 2028-2029? We've compiled a list of 10 of the best places to head for great views of the blood moon on March 3, from dark sky reserves to remote deserts.

A blood moon is coming, but what will actually happen?

(Image credit: Photo by Vishal Bhatnagar/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

In the early hours of March 3, skywatchers across the Americas, east Asia and Oceania will witness a blood moon total lunar eclipse. Totality, during which the moon will sit in the deepest part of Earth's shadow, the umbra, will last for 58 minutes.

But the show goes on for much longer than that.

Read more: What to expect during each phase of the 'blood moon' total lunar eclipse on March 3

Want to photograph the upcoming lunar eclipse but don't know where to start?

(Image credit: Igor Alecsander via Getty Images)

We've rounded up seven easy tips for photographing the total lunar eclipse on March 3 so you're not left in the dark come the big day!

You may not need advanced gear to photograph a lunar eclipse, but preparation is key.

Why does the moon turn red during a total lunar eclipse?

The moon turn's a coppery blood red hue during a total lunar eclipse. (Image credit: imagodevita via Getty Images)

On March 3, a total lunar eclipse will turn the moon red for billions of skywatchers around the world. But what causes the blood moon? Why doesn't the moon turn completely black during a total lunar eclipse?

The answer lies in the way Earth's atmosphere bends and filters sunlight, scattering blue light while allowing red and orange wavelengths to reach the moon. It's as if all the world's sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the moon at once.

Read more: Why does the moon turn red during a total lunar eclipse?

The total lunar eclipse will be the last one for nearly 3 years

(Image credit: Created in Canva Pro)

If you're planning to wake up early for the total lunar eclipse on March 3, here's something to keep in mind: after this blood moon, we won't see another for nearly 3 years! So it's worth catching this one if you can.

There are no total lunar eclipses in 2027. The next time the moon fully enters Earth's shadow won't be until Dec. 31, 2028 — New Year's Eve — kicking off a rare run of three total lunar eclipses between 2028 and 2029.

See the 'impossible' during March 3's total lunar eclipse

See the 'impossible' during March 3's total lunar eclipse (Image credit: Created in Canva Pro)

Can you really see a sunrise and a blood moon at the same time?

On March 3, some skywatchers may witness a rare atmospheric effect called a selenelion, when the rising sun and an eclipsed moon briefly share the sky.

Read more: See the 'impossible' as sunrise and a total lunar eclipse appear at the same time on March 3

What time is the eclipse and where can I watch it online?

(Image credit: Created in Canva Pro)

The blood moon is almost upon us! It will be the last total lunar eclipse until New Year's Eve 2028, so catch it if you can!

Check out our handy guides below on where to watch the action online and also what time to catch the main event.

T-24 hours until the total lunar eclipse!

The total lunar eclipse will be visible to skywatchers across North America in the early hours of March 3 (weather permitting). (Image credit: Canva Pro)

Heads up skywatchers!

Set your alarm — the total lunar eclipse of March 3 is almost here, and for many North American skywatchers it unfolds in the early hours before sunrise (weather permitting!)

Some observers may even witness a rare atmospheric illusion called a selenelion, an 'impossible' moment when the rising sun and eclipsed moon appear in the sky at the same time!

Key resources:

Total lunar eclipse weather forecast

Will clouds conspire to spoil your view? (Image credit: Giuliano Domenichini via Getty Images)

The blood moon total lunar eclipse is mere hours away, but your ability to actually lay eyes on the shadowy display will depend entirely on your location and, of course, the weather. The latest weather forecast reveals that around half of the U.S. will have at least occasional clear skies to reveal the orbital drama, but central and eastern states will face the worst of the cloud cover.

Check out our total lunar eclipse weather forecast below to discover your viewing prospects for the March 3 blood moon eclipse.

The total lunar eclipse 2026 has officially begun!

(Image credit: Virtual Telescope Project/ Karim Jaffer (Montreal Centre, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada & John Abbott College)

Good morning space fans!

The total lunar eclipse is now underway. The moon has begun slipping into Earth's outer shadow, known as the penumbra. Currently, there is a very subtle dimming of the lunar surface, easy to miss at first, but the shading will gradually become more noticeable. Keep your eyes peeled!

If you're unable to watch in person, then why not watch online! We've rounded up the best total lunar eclipse livestreams for you, so sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

I've also made a big pot of coffee, so I'm here for the long haul and will be keeping you up to date with all the lunar eclipse shenanigans here on our live blog. Stay tuned!

Related: Total lunar eclipse weather forecast: Will US skies be clear for the blood moon?

Can you spot it yet?

Screengrab from Time and Date's livestream. (Image credit: Time and Date)

The upper left portion of the moon is starting to look darker. Can you see it?

The shading will become more noticeable as we move towards the partial eclipse phase at 4:50 a.m. EST (0950 GMT).

Totality will occur between 6:04 and 7:04 a.m. EST (11:04–12:03 GMT), during which the moon will appear a dramatic blood red, weather permitting.

The lunar eclipse has entered the partial phase

The lunar eclipse has now entered the partial lunar eclipse phase. (Image credit: Time and Date)

The eclipse has now entered the partial phase. From here on, Earth's deepest shadow, known as the umbra, begins to sweep across our lunar companion. A curved, dark bit is beginning to appear on the moon's edge, slowly growing as our planet's shadow advances.

Deepening partial eclipse as we head toward totality

View of the lunar eclipse from New Zealand. (Image credit: Mirko Harnisch & Dunedin Astronomical Society / Virtual Telescope Project)

As more of the moon moves into the umbra, the shadow will appear dark gray at first. But watch closely as it won't stay that way! As totality approaches (beginning at 6:04 a.m. EST (1104 GMT), the eclipsed portion will begin to take on a coppery, rusty hue.

Because observers in New Zealand are viewing the moon from the opposite side of Earth compared to those in U.S., the lunar disk appears effectively rotated — making the deepening partial eclipse look "upside down," with Earth's shadow falling on the opposite side of the moon.

T-20 minutes until the start of totality!

(Image credit: Time and Date)

Heads up skywatchers! There is not long to wait until the blood moon phase of the total lunar eclipse, with totality starting at 6:04 a.m. EST (1104 GMT).

Maximum eclipse will occur at 6:33 a.m. EST (1133 GMT) and totality will end at 7:02 a.m. EST (1202 GMT).

But it doesn't end there! The lunar eclipse will continue through the partial lunar eclipse phase until 8:17 a.m. EST (1317 GMT).

The lunar eclipse will officially end at 9:23 a.m. EST (1423) with the end of the penumbral phase, but this is very subtle, so it's unlikely you'll notice much of a difference.

Totality has begun!

Totality has started. (Image credit: Time and Date)

Heads up, skywatchers, totality is here! The moon is now fully immersed in Earth's darkest shadow, known as the umbra. Sunlight refracting through Earth's atmosphere is tinting the moon red.

Behold the spectacular blood moon phase. Totality will last for 58 minutes in total, so sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

Follow along with these eclipse livestreams.

Maximum eclipse reached

(Image credit: Time and Date)

The eclipse has reached maximum. The moon is closest to the center of Earth's shadow, glowing its richest red of this event.

The end of the blood moon phase

(Image credit: Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Totality has now ended. A thin, bright sliver of moonlight is beginning to reappear as the lunar disk slowly emerges from the umbra. Though the blood moon is fading, now is a great time to keep watching as the thin silvery crescent glows along one edge. Over the next hour or so, you'll see the crescent grow and sweep across the lunar disk; it's like watching all the phases of the moon sped up to mere minutes in front of your very eyes.

The partial lunar eclipse phase is now over

(Image credit: Footage by Perth Observatory via Time and Date.)

The moon has now completely exited Earth's inner shadow. The dramatic dark bite is gone and only a faint shading from the penumbra remains. The most visually striking part of the eclipse is now over.

The lunar eclipse is now over

(Image credit: Time and Date.)

The total lunar eclipse has officially concluded. The moon has fully left Earth's penumbral shadow and returned to its usual full brightness. This total lunar eclipse lasted 5 hours and 39 minutes from start to finish!

Total lunar eclipse 2026: Best photos

(Image credit: Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)

What a night! From the first subtle penumbral shading to almost an entire hour of dramatic red totality, this blood moon was visible to billions across the Americas, Asia and Oceania. Thank you for following along with our live coverage. If you missed it — or want to relive the magic — check out our full story featuring the best lunar eclipse photos from around the world.

10 best places to see the 'blood moon' total lunar eclipse on March 3

Jamie Carter — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 19:00:00 +0000

On March 3, 2026, a total lunar eclipse will be visible across the night side of Earth, with the best views from Australia, the Pacific, and the western half of North America. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon drifts into Earth's shadow, with the only light reaching its surface filtered through Earth's atmosphere, which turns it a reddish color that earns it the nickname "blood moon."

A global event happening at the same time across the world, the epicentre is the Pacific, where the eclipse takes place overhead around midnight early on March 3. To the west (Australia), it occurs late on March 3, and to the east (North America), it occurs early on March 3.

You don't need a dark sky to watch a total lunar eclipse — but it helps. The event stars as a full moon bleaching the night sky, making all but the brightest stars hard to see. However, by the time totality begins, the night sky will have darkened so much that it's possible to see not just stars, but faint clusters and the Milky Way — just as you might experience during a new moon. So while using a light pollution map or the Dark Sky Place finder isn't strictly necessary, it will bring an extra dimension to the experience.

The best places to watch the eclipse will be those with clear skies. Weather forecasts can only be relied upon about three days out, but you can stack the odds by studying a potential location's historical climate data for average cloud cover. That's what we've done here, using Eclipsophile.com — which specialises in global cloud cover data for solar and lunar eclipses — to select locations most likely to have a clear sky, which in March, may be a challenge. All times and cloud statistics come from Time and Date.

Here are 10 spectacular viewing locations for this rare celestial event, which won't be repeated anywhere on Earth until New Year's Eve 2028-2029.

1. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, U.S.

The Grand Canyon is now a fabulous place for stargazing and lunar eclipses. (Image credit: Carlos Fernandez/Getty Images)

Time of totality: 04:04-05:02 MST on March 3, 2026.

Chance of clouds: 63% (historical average)

Grand Canyon National Park has been an International Dark Sky Park since 2015, when light fixtures in Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim were replaced to reduce light pollution. Great places to stargaze on the south rim include Grand Canyon Visitor Center (the most convenient), Mather Point, Hermit's Rest and the many pullouts on the flat Rim Trail.

2. Horsetooth Mountain, Colorado, U.S.

Horsetooth Reservoir is located in northern Colorado near Fort Collins and offers dark sky views for eager stargazers. (Image credit: marekuliasz/Getty Images)

Time of totality: 4:04-5:02 a.m. MST on March 3, 2026.

Chance of clouds: 60% (historical average)

This public stargazing event at Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, organised by the Northern Colorado Astronomical Society and publicised by NASA, will be held from 3:30-5:30 a.m. MST.

3. Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary

Arkaroola in South Australia has a protected dark sky. (Image credit: John White Photos/Getty Images)

Time of totality: 21:34-22:32 ACDT on March 3, 2026.

Chance of clouds: 24% (historical average)

The remote area in the Flinders Ranges and Outback of South Australia has been protected since 2012, when it became a sanctuary for both wildlife and darkness. There are lodges and astronomy experiences.

4. Warrumbungle Dark Sky Park, Australia

Milky Way captured from Warrumbungles Mountain Motel near Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia. (Image credit: VW Pics / Getty Images)

Time of totality: 22:04-23:02 AEDT on March 3, 2026.

Chance of clouds: 45% (historical average)

Australia will get a fabulous view of this total lunar eclipse, but observers will have a much greater chance if they get inland. A good choice is Warrumbungle Dark Sky Park near Coonabarabran (aka 'Australia's Astronomy Capital') in central western New South Wales, Australia's first and only Dark Sky Park. It's home to Australia's famous Siding Spring Observatory, with Warrumbungle Observatory located in Coonabarabran.

5. Saguaro National Park, Arizona, U.S.

Saguaro National Park is open 24 hours. (Image credit: Jonathan Thier / 500pxGetty Images)

Although Tucson itself doesn't fare too well on a light pollution map, it's surrounded by glorious stargazing opportunities (check out the Tucson Astro Trail map) and world-class observatories at Kitt Peak, Mount Graham and Mount Lemmon. Just east of the city, in the Sonoran Desert, is Saguaro National Park, the world's ninth Urban Night Sky Place. The park is open 24 hours.

6. Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve, New Zealand

Wairarapa offers stargazers incredible views of the night sky. (Image credit: new zealand transition/Getty Images)

Time of totality: 00:04- 01:02 NZDT on March 4, 2026.

Chance of clouds: 64% (historical average)

Outdoor lighting is regulated throughout the Wairarapa Valley on the North Island of New Zealand, where lunar totality will occur just after midnight. Most of the dark-sky reserve is easily accessible for night-sky viewing.

7. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California, U.S.

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is the largest in California. (Image credit: Eric Lowenbach/Getty Images)

Time of totality: 03:04-04:02 PST on March 3, 2026.

Chance of clouds: 40% (historical average)

The largest state park in California, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in the Colorado Desert, has been a dark sky park since 2018, with Borrego a dark sky community.

8. Big Island, Hawaii, U.S.

A full moon illuminates the dramatic volcanic landscape above the clouds on Mauna Kea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. (Image credit: BARTON/Getty Images)

Time of totality: 01:04-02:02 HST on March 3, 2026.

Chance of clouds: 37% (historical average)

With the eclipse overhead as seen from Hawaii, you will get a great view anywhere. If you're after a dark sky, the best places to be on the Big Island are either on Maunakea (the destination of many stargazing tours) or on the darker south or northeast coasts.

9. Joshua Tree National Park, California, U.S.

Joshua Tree will be a popular location for the eclipse. (Image credit: Mimi Ditchie Photography/Getty Images)

Time of totality: 03:04-04:02 PST on March 3, 2026.

Chance of clouds: 43% (historical average)

Although there's been a recent wildfire and some concerns about astrophotography workshops, independent travel to one of the most renowned stargazing destinations in California should still be possible if well planned. Make a camping reservation in advance on recreation.gov.

10. Death Valley National Park, Nevada, U.S.

Death Valley never closes, with 24/7 access guaranteed. (Image credit: Buena Vista Images/Getty Images)

Time of totality: 03:04-04:02 PST on March 3, 2026.

Chance of clouds: 47% (historical average)

With no closing time and a spectacularly dark sky, Death Valley National Park is worth considering for a great view of the total lunar eclipse. Zabriskie Point, Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes or Harmony Borax Works are recommended for astrophotographers.

How to use the moon on Feb. 4 to plan your view of March's total lunar eclipse

Joe Rao — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Should the weather be clear early on Tuesday morning, March 3, sky watchers across most of the Americas will have an opportunity to view one of nature's most beautiful spectacles: A total eclipse of the moon.

Unlike a total eclipse of the sun, which often requires a long journey to the path of totality, those of the moon can usually be observed from one's own backyard. The passage of the moon through the Earth's shadow is equally visible from all places within the hemisphere where the moon is above the horizon. This event favors locations near and around the Pacific Rim. For North America, places within the Eastern Time Zone will see the moon set during dawn's early light during the total phase; places farther west will be able to catch the moon emerging from the Earth's shadow as it sets, while for sites out in the Far West, the eclipse will be visible from start to finish. Hawaiians will see the moon almost overhead as totality takes place in the hours after midnight. Meanwhile, during local evening hours, Central Asia and western Australia will see the moon rise as it emerges from the Earth's dark shadow. Eastern Australia, Papua New Guinea, as well as much of Japan and eastern Siberia, will see it all during convenient evening hours.

There is nothing complicated about how to view this celestial spectacle. Unlike an eclipse of the sun, which necessitates special viewing precautions to avoid eye damage, an eclipse of the moon is perfectly safe to watch. All you'll need to watch is your eyes, but binoculars or a telescope will give a much nicer view.

Where will the moon be?

It's not too early to begin preparing for viewing next month's total lunar eclipse. One of the things to consider is the moon's location in the sky during the eclipse. As we have noted, for those who live in the eastern U.S. and Canada, this will be an important factor, since the moon will be moving into totality as it approaches its setting. Will tall trees or nearby buildings block your view of the moon?

Use Feb. 4 to check if you have a good view of the moon with no trees blocking your view. (Image credit: M.A.Ortega/Getty Images)

You can get a very good idea about where the moon will be in the sky during the eclipse by looking for it on Wednesday, Feb. 4. Early that morning, the moon — 2½ days past full — will be very near to that region of the sky where it will be on March 3 for the eclipse. But on Feb. 4, rather than looking for the moon at the prescribed times given for March 3, you will need to look two hours and 8 minutes later.

For example, on March 3, for an observer in Salt Lake City, the moon will begin to enter the dark central shadow of Earth (called the umbra) at 2:49 a.m. Mountain Time. At that moment, the moon will stand 44° above the southwest horizon; that's roughly halfway up in the sky.

Now, on Wednesday, Feb. 4, if you add 2 hours 8 minutes to 2:49 a.m., you'll come up with 4:57 a.m. At that hour, on that morning, you'll be able to get a very good approximation of where the moon will be in the sky at the start of the eclipse as seen from Salt Lake City.

This method will be especially helpful for easterners who might want to determine roughly where the moon will be relative to their western horizon (and local landmarks) as it sets during the total phase of the eclipse. The table below provides details on the corresponding positions of the moon on Feb. 4, relative to where it will appear in the sky for various stages of the eclipse on March 3.

Moon's eclipse location on Feb. 4, 2026
	EST	CST	MST	PST
Eclipse Starts	6:57 a.m.	5:57 a.m.	4:57 a.m.	3:57 a.m.
Totality Starts	8:11 a.m.	7:11 a.m.	6:11 a.m.	5:11 a.m.
Mid-Eclipse	8:41 a.m.	7:41 a.m.	6:41 a.m.	5:41 a.m.
Totality Ends	9:10 a.m.	8:10 a.m.	7:10 a.m.	6:10 a.m.
Eclipse Ends	Not visible	9:25 a.m.	8:25 a.m.	7:25 a.m.

Take note that if you live in the Eastern Time Zone, the farther to the west you go, the higher in the sky the moon will appear and the longer you will be able to prolong your view of the totally eclipsed moon before it sets. As an example, from Portland, Maine, the moon will set only one minute after the start of totality. However, as seen from Indianapolis, Indiana — which also observes Eastern Time, but is positioned 860 miles (1,380 km) to the west — the entire total phase will be visible, with the moon not setting until five minutes after totality ends.

Space.com will provide more details about the lunar eclipse in the weeks to come, so stay tuned!

A blood moon is coming: 1 month until a total lunar eclipse takes to the skies over North America

daisy.dobrijevic@space.com (Daisy Dobrijevic) — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 13:00:00 +0000

On Tuesday, March 3, our lunar neighbor will turn into a dramatic 'blood moon' during the first and only total lunar eclipse of 2026. You won't want to miss this event as the next total lunar eclipse won't happen until New Year's Eve 2028!

The blood moon phase of the lunar eclipse will be visible to approximately 31% of the world's population, about 2.5 billion people, across North America, Australia, New Zealand, East Asia and the Pacific.

You can learn more about the total lunar eclipse on March 3 with our blood moon lunar eclipse 2026 guide and keep up to date with the latest lunar eclipse content with our lunar eclipse live blog.

What time is the total lunar eclipse?

The total lunar eclipse will take place between 3:44 and 9:22 a.m. EST (0844-1422 GMT) on March 2.

The totality phase, during which the moon will sit in the deepest region of Earth's shadow and turn blood red, will occur between 6:04 and 7:02 a.m. EST (1104-1202 GMT), lasting for a spectacular 58 minutes.

It's worth keeping an eye on the moon about 75 minutes before totality, to see the edge of Earth's shadow inch across the lunar surface during the partial phases (and vice versa after totality, though for North America the moon will be setting).

Stages of a total lunar eclipse captured in a composite image. (Image credit: ANITA BLAKER via Getty Images)

Where to watch

The total lunar eclipse will be best viewed from western North America, Australia, New Zealand, East Asia and the Pacific.

Viewing conditions are dependent on local weather, but northwest Mexico, the southwest U.S. and inland Australia offer the best odds of clear skies when looking at historical averages.

For those not in the path of totality and unable to watch the event in person, we will be livestreaming the total lunar eclipse here on Space.com. Further details will be released closer to the time.

Total lunar eclipse March 2026: A complete guide to the next 'blood moon'

Jamie Carter — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000

On March 3, 2026, a total lunar eclipse will be visible from western North America, Australia, New Zealand and East Asia, with a "blood moon" appearing for 58 minutes.

Lunar eclipses happen when Earth is between the sun and a full moon. During the event, the moon moves through Earth's umbra, the dark center of its shadow.

Where will the March 2026 total lunar eclipse be visible?

The best views of the March 2026 total lunar eclipse will be from Western North America, Australia, New Zealand, East Asia and the Pacific. According to Time and Date, only 2% of the world's population — 176 million people — will see all of the phases (penumbral, partial and total) of the eclipse. However, almost 31% — 2.5 billion — will see all of totality, the "blood moon" phase. Viewing conditions will depend on the local weather, with northwest Mexico, the southwest U.S. and inland Australia statistically offering the best odds of clear skies.

A map of the March 2026 total lunar eclipse. (Image credit: F. Espenak, NASA's GSFC)

What will happen during the total lunar eclipse?

The March 3 event will be the first total lunar eclipse anywhere in the world since Sept. 7-8, 2025, and the last until Dec. 31, 2028, to Jan. 1, 2029, when a total lunar eclipse will occur on New Year's Eve.

During the March 2026 total lunar eclipse, the full "Worm Moon" will rise and, later that night, pass into Earth's umbral shadow. As it does, the full moon will dim and gradually turn reddish-orange, which is why it's called a "blood moon." Totality — when the entire lunar surface appears reddish-orange — will last 58 minutes. However, the entire eclipse — including the penumbral and partial phases — will last 5 hours, 38 minutes.

This total lunar eclipse will occur seven days before the moon reaches apogee — its farthest point from Earth on its slightly elliptical orbit — making it of average apparent size.

What time is the March 2026 total lunar eclipse in North America?

Lunar eclipses occur at the same universal time worldwide, but the local clock time and whether the moon is above the horizon vary by location. This one will happen between 08:44 and 14:22 UTC on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 (3:44 to 9:22 a.m. EST), with the spectacular 58-minute-long totality — when the entire lunar surface will be reddish — happening between 11:04 and 12:02 UTC. That translates to the following local times in North America:

Eastern time: 6:04-7:02 a.m. EST on March 3, 2026 (the moon will set during totality in the Eastern time zone)
Central time: 5:04-6:02 a.m. CST on March 3, 2026
Mountain time: 4:04-5:02 a.m. MST on March 3, 2026
Pacific time: 3:04-4:02 a.m PST on March 3, 2026
Alaska time: 2:04-3:02 a.m. AKST on March 3, 2026
Hawaii time: 1:04-2:02 a.m. HST on March 3, 2026

These are the times for totality only. However, it's worth looking at the moon about 75 minutes before these times to see the edge of Earth's shadow inch across the lunar surface during the partial phases (and vice versa after totality, though for North America, the moon will be setting).

The path of the March 2026 total lunar eclipse over North America. (Image credit: Created by Jamie Carter using MapHub.net. Sources: Esri, Maxar, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community. Eclipse path by Xavier Jubier.)

What time is the March 2026 total lunar eclipse in the Asia-Pacific?

In the Asia-Pacific, the eclipse will occur the night of March 3-4. In parts of Southeast Asia, totality will begin as the full moon rises, dulling the effect.

Here's when totality will occur in various locations within the Asia-Pacific:

New Zealand: 12:04-1:02 a.m. NZDT on March 4, 2026
Sydney: 10:04-11:02 p.m. AEDT on March 3, 2026
Brisbane, Australia: 9:04-10:02 p.m. AEST on March 3, 2026
Adelaide, Australia: 9:34-10:32 p.m. ACDT on March 3, 2026
Darwin, Australia: 8:34-9:32 p.m. on March 3, 2026
Perth, Australia: 7:04-8:02 p.m. on March 3, 2026
Tokyo: 8:04-9:02 p.m. JST on March 3, 2026
Seoul: 8:04-9:02 p.m. KST on March 3, 2026
Beijing: 7:04-8:02 p.m. CST on March 3, 2026
Hong Kong: 7:04-8:02 p.m. HKT on March 3, 2026

The path of the March 2026 total lunar eclipse over Asia. (Image credit: Created by Jamie Carter using MapHub.net. Sources: Esri, Maxar, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community. Eclipse path by Xavier Jubier)

After March 2026, when is the next total lunar eclipse?

Here are the dates and locations for upcoming total lunar eclipses, plus a deep partial eclipse:

Aug. 27-28, 2026: A deep 93% partial lunar eclipse will be visible from parts of Europe, Western Asia, Africa, North America, South America, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and Antarctica.
Dec. 31-Jan. 1, 2028-2029: A total lunar eclipse will be visible from Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Northern and Western North America, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Arctic.
June 25-26, 2029: A total lunar eclipse will be visible from Europe, Western Asia, Africa, North America, South America, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and Antarctica.
Dec. 20-21, 2029: A total lunar eclipse will be visible from Europe, Asia, Northern and Western Australia, Africa, North America, South America, the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean and the Arctic.

Additional resources:

Bibliography

Jubier, X. (n.d.). Lunar eclipses: Interactive Google Maps. Retrieved Sept. 1, 2025, from http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/Lunar_Eclipses.html

Time and Date. (n.d.). 2-3 March 2026 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon). Retrieved Sept. 1, 2025, from: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2026-march-3

Cameron Smith, I. Total Lunar Eclipse of Mar. 3, 2026 AD. Retrieved Sept. 1, 2025, from: https://moonblink.info/Eclipse/eclipse/2026_03_03

Blood moon wows skywatchers worldwide: Best photos of the September 2025 total lunar eclipse

Anthony Wood — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 10:17:24 +0000

A total lunar eclipse delighted stargazers overnight on Sept. 7-8 with a spectacular display of orbital mechanics that briefly turned Earth's natural satellite blood red.

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(Image credit: Jase Parnell-Brookes)

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This week's total lunar eclipse graced the night sky as Earth drifted between the moon and sun, veiling the lunar disk in its umbral silhouette. As the moon slipped into the deepest part of our planet's shadow — a period known as totality — a phenomenon known as Rayleigh scattering saw the moon adopt a bloody red hue, as sunlight scattered by Earth's atmosphere was bent onto the lunar surface.

Over seven billion people had a direct line of sight as Earth's shadow swept over the lunar disk, according to TimeandDate, allowing photographers across western Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe to capture the distinct phases of the eclipse in exquisite detail.

Read on to see a collection of spectacular images of the Sept. 7-8 blood moon. If you missed the event — or simply want a recap — check out our live lunar eclipse blog to see a chronological rundown of the orbital shadow show, or our lunar eclipse guide for a detailed breakdown of the science involved.

The September 2025 total lunar eclipse in pictures

Earth's inner shadow encroaches on the lunar surface

Earth's inner shadow can be seen encroaching on the western edge of the Oceanus Procellarum lava plane in this shot from Hector Retamal, as the eclipse moved inexorably towards totality in the skies over Shanghai.

Earth's umbral shadow creeps over the lunar disk. (Image credit: Photo by Hector RETAMAL / AFP) (Photo by HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images)

This next image from photographer Aamir Qureshi highlights the contrast created as Earth's curved shadow continued to sweep across the face of the moon on Sept. 7, while preserving prominent lunar features, such as Tycho crater, which is visible to the south close to the shadow line.

Earth's shadow advances past Tycho Crater on the night of Sept. 7. (Image credit: Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP) (Photo by AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images)

Mustafa Tas captured the moon over the Temple of Apollo in the City of Side in Turkey as Earth's shadow threatened to swallow the moon entirely, showing a silvery sliver of lunar disk alongside the remainder of its shadowed expanse

The moon captured during an eclipse hanging over the Temple of Apollo in Turkey. (Image credit: Photo by Mustafa Tas /Anadolu via Getty Images)

The eclipsed form of the full moon can be seen hanging over Barcelona, minutes from totality in this image from photographer Manaure Quintero, with the iconic form of the Sagrada Familia basilica reaching up to meet it.

The moon approaches totality above Barcelona. (Image credit: Photo by MANAURE QUINTERO/AFP via Getty Images)

Aamir Quereshi imaged the moon moments before it was engulfed in Earth's shadow over Pakistan, with a razor-thin crescent lit by bright sunlight. The hints of lunar maria are visible darkening the shadowed portion of the moon, while the left of its disk is bathed in darkness.

(Image credit: Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP) (Photo by AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images)

Totality

The lunar disk could be seen to adopt a reddish hue as the final sliver of its surface fell within Earth's shadow. Photographer Fabrice Coffrini captured this transformation in his image of Earth's natural satellite, taken as the moon graced the sky over Riex in western Switzerland.

The eclipsed moon pictured in the sky over Switzerland. (Image credit: Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)

Angelos Tzortzinis artfully lined up his shot to position the blood moon above the statue of the ancient goddess Irene in central Athens, Greece, to make it appear as if the deity was gently brushing the lunar disk with her right hand, while holding a child in the other.

The blood moon pictured with a statue of the goddess Irene in the sky over Greece. (Image credit: Photo by Angelos TZORTZINIS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP via Getty Images)

This thoughtful composition from Yang Bo was taken in the sky over Nanjing, China during totality, creating the illusion that the blood moon is being grasped in the claw of a vast stone dragon.

The eclipsed moon floats in the claw of a stone dragon. (Image credit: Photo by Yang Bo/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)

This composition positions the blood moon atop Tokyo's famous Skytree tower in Japan, giving the impression that the lunar disk is a red orb fixed to the top of a metal staff.

The eclipsed moon positioned atop the Skytree tower in Tokyo, Japan. (Image credit: (Photo by JIJI Press / AFP) / Japan OUT (Photo by STR/JIJI Press/AFP via Getty Images))

This image captured from the city of JiuJiang, China, by Shen Jungfeng highlights the shadowed expanses of all of the dark lunar seas combined, as they stretch across the moon's surface above the pointed roof of a striking building lit by warm yellow light.

A blood moon shines over Jiujiang City in China. (Image credit: Photo by Shen Junfeng/VCG via Getty Images)

The end of totality — Earth's shadow slips from the lunar disk

Many photographers also caught spectacular views of Earth's shadow as it retreated from the lunar disk, including Hussein Faleh, who snapped this shot of a passenger plane skimming the moon's western limb from Iraq, as Earth's silhouette fell away to the right.

A passenger jet crosses the moon as Earth's shadow slips over its surface. (Image credit: Photo by Hussein FALEH / AFP) (Photo by HUSSEIN FALEH/AFP via Getty Images)

Space.com's Anthony Wood captured this view of the moon exiting Earth's shadow from Dartmoor National Park in the U.K. while surrounded by wild horses, sheep and, of course, a flock of photographers who had turned out in force to witness the cosmic show.

The eclipsed moon seen in the skies over Dartmoor National Park in the U.K. (Image credit: Anthony Wood, Christopher Wood, Keith Wood)

Lorenzo Di Cola snapped this breath-taking view of the moon during the tail end of the eclipse, as the lunar disk returned to its familiar lustre over Abruzzo, Italy. Earth's shadow can still be seen as a vast crescent to the right of the image, hiding Mare Serenitatis and Tranquillitatis.

The partially eclipsed moon seen over Italy in September 2025. (Image credit: Photo by Lorenzo Di Cola/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Composite shots of the September 2025 total lunar eclipse

This composite image created by Tomohiro Oshumi shows the phases of the lunar eclipse leading up to totality, as seen from Tokyo, Japan as the orbital ballet unfolded on Sept. 7-8.

(Image credit: Photo by Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images)

These views captured from Surabaya, Indonesia by photographer Robertus Pudyanto reveal the same phases captured from a more southerly perspective, once again showing the lunar disk transform in the runup to totality.

Phases of the September 2025 blood moon total lunar eclipse as seen from Indonesia. (Image credit: Photo by Robertus Pudyanto/Getty Images)

Pudyanto also arrayed his images in a line to create a timelapse effect, showing how the lunar disk changed as it fell ever deeper into Earth's shadow.

A separate composition showing the phases of the blood moon as seen from Indonesia. (Image credit: Photo by Robertus Pudyanto/Getty Images)

September's blood moon was the opening act of a two-part eclipse season, which will see the moon pass across the face of the sun without entirely occulting it on Sept. 21, triggering a partial solar eclipse. That event will be visible from New Zealand, eastern Australia and Antarctica, along with several Pacific Ocean islands.

Remember: a total lunar eclipse is completely safe to view with the naked eye. However, stargazers hoping to catch a glimpse of the upcoming partial solar eclipse, or of the August 2026 total solar eclipse, will need to pick up a pair of reliable eclipse glasses to protect their vision.

Photographers hoping to capture images of these events should also check out our roundup of the best cameras for astrophotography and read our guide to safely photographing a solar eclipse.

See the blood moon rise in 1st pictures of September 2025 total lunar eclipse

Anthony Wood — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 19:30:22 +0000

Editor's note: The September 2025 total lunar eclipse put on a spectacular show, dazzling stargazers with a mesmerizing display of orbital mechanics that briefly turned the moon blood red as Earth's shadow swept across the lunar disk.

Check out our wrap article for more of the best photos of the September 2025 total lunar eclipse as seen by photographers across the globe!

The Sept. 7-8 total lunar eclipse has come and gone, treating stargazers to a breathtaking blood moon that was witnessed by over seven billion people across Asia, western Australia and eastern Europe.

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A total lunar eclipse occurs during a new moon phase when Earth passes directly between the lunar disk and the sun, entirely covering the natural satellite in its shadow.

When the moon slipped into our planet's inner shadow, the umbra, on Sept. 7, it underwent a spectacular transformation, as the red light from every sunset and sunrise on Earth fell upon its surface, turning it into a rusty red blood moon.

Billions of eyes and countless camera lenses turned skyward to witness the event, yielding a spectacular treasure trove of imagery that captured each phase of the eclipse in glorious detail. Read on to see the first spectacular views of the September total lunar eclipse.

First photos of the Sept. 7-8 blood moon total lunar eclipse

Necmettin Karaca captured this spectacular view of the moon on Sept. 7 as the deepest part of Earth's shadow swept over the lunar disk ahead of totality. Mare Crisium is visible as a dark oval to the upper right of the moon's surface, with Mare Tranquillitatis, Serenitatis and Fecunditatis arrayed beneath.

Earth's inner shadow rolls over the lunar surface. (Image credit: Photo by Necmettin Karaca/Anadolu via Getty Images.)

This striking image of the blood man was taken during totality by photographer Hector Retamal in the sky over Shanghai, as the lunar disk passed through Earth's umbral shadow, at which time Rayleigh Scattering forced it to adopt a deep rusty hue.

The September 7-8 blood moon captured during totality. (Image credit: (Photo by Hector RETAMAL / AFP) (Photo by HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images)

Finally Mohammed Ahmed Ahmed snapped the arc of Earth's colossal umbral shadow as it slipped from the lunar disk. Several bright craters are visible brightening the dark lunar maria that cover swathes of the lunar surface, with impact ejecta streaking outward from some of the younger sites.

Earth's shadow is pictured leaving the lunar disk. (Image credit: Photo by Ahsan Mohammed Ahmed Ahmed/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Did you miss the lunar eclipse? Then be sure to check out our lunar eclipse live blog for a blow-by-blow of the event as it unfolded and read our lunar eclipse guide to find out more about the celestial mechanics that conspire to bring about a blood moon.

Editor's Note: If you would like to share your astrophotography with Space.com's readers, then please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.

Total lunar eclipse will paint the full moon blood red for over 7 billion skywatchers tonight

daisy.dobrijevic@space.com (Daisy Dobrijevic) — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Check out our wrap article to see the best photos of the September 2025 total lunar eclipse as seen by photographers across the globe!

Tonight (Sept. 7–8, 2025), the moon will slip into Earth's shadow for a total lunar eclipse — creating a dramatic 'blood moon'.

It's completely safe to watch with the naked eye; no filters or glasses are needed. All you need to do is make sure you find the moon at the right time, sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

If you live outside of the viewing area or can't make it outside to view the eclipse live, luckily you can watch the blood moon total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7 with these free livestreams, or right here at Space.com. You can also follow along with our lunar eclipse live blog for updates, images and milestones as the eclipse unfolds. Find everything you need to know about the total lunar eclipse with our comprehensive September 2025 total lunar eclipse guide.

Asia and Western Australia get the full show. Much of Europe and Africa will see the moon already in totality as it rises, while the Americas will miss out this time. Altogether, over 7 billion people will be in range of at least part of the eclipse, according to Time and Date.

When to look

The eclipse runs from 11:28 a.m. EDT (15:28 GMT) to 4:55 p.m. EDT (20:55 GMT). The highlight is the unusually long 82 minutes of totality, lasting from 1:30 p.m. to 2:52 p.m. EDT (17:30 to 18:52 GMT).

This eclipse occurs just 2.7 days before the moon reaches perigee, or its closest point to Earth. That makes the moon appear slightly larger than usual, adding to the spectacle.

Viewing tips for tonight

Beat the clouds: Check your local forecast and have a nearby backup spot.
Give it time: The drama builds slowly — plan to watch before, during and after totality.
Low horizon? In parts of Europe, the moon rises already eclipsed. Pick an observing spot with a clear view of the eastern horizon.
No kit required: Binoculars help with detail, but aren't essential.

Because the moon will sit deep within Earth's umbra — the darkest part of our planet's shadow — expect a rich, dark red hue during totality. Lunar eclipses can vary in brightness depending on Earth's atmosphere, but this one is forecast to be particularly striking.

Editor's note: If you capture a photo of the total lunar eclipse and would like to share it with us, please email it over to spacephotos@space.com along with any comments.

What to expect during today's 'blood moon' total lunar eclipse

Anthony Wood — Sat, 06 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Check out our wrap article to see the best photos of the September 2025 total lunar eclipse as seen by photographers across the globe!

Look to the skies on Sept. 7-8 to witness Earth's shadow roll over the lunar disk, giving rise to a deep red "blood moon." Here's what to expect during each phase of this week's total lunar eclipse.

A total lunar eclipse occurs when Earth passes between the moon and sun, temporarily bathing the entire lunar disk in its shadow. This in turn causes our natural satellite to glow a deep red, as the scattered light from every sunrise and sunset on Earth is bent onto the lunar disk.

Several distinct phases will be on display during the Sept. 7-8 total lunar eclipse, which will be visible in its entirety across swathes of Asia, western Australia and eastern Europe, while other countries like Spain and Norway will witness only a partial eclipse.

You can safely view a lunar eclipse through the glass of a telescope, binoculars, or with the naked eye, so there's no need to worry about using the specialized eclipse glasses and filters needed to protect your eyesight from the light of a solar eclipse!

If you live outside of the viewing area or can't make it outside to view the eclipse live, luckily you can watch the blood moon total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7 with these free livestreams.

Read on to discover exactly what you should expect from each stage of this week's total lunar eclipse.

The stages of the total lunar eclipse

The moon enters Earth's penumbra

A full moon captured on the eve of a lunar eclipse in March 2025. (Image credit: Chen Shaojin/VCG via Getty Images)

The soft, outer part of Earth's shadow, known as the penumbra, will begin to sweep across the lunar surface at 11:28 a.m. EDT (1528 GMT) on Sept. 7. The shading of the lunar surface during this phase is incredibly subtle and will first become perceptible as a slight darkening on the upper left of the lunar disk a little under an hour after the start of this initial penumbral phase.

Sharp-eyed observers may see this gentle shadow creep eastward across the basaltic plains of the lunar maria that scar this part of the lunar disk, before Earth's silhouette makes a much grander entrance just a few minutes later.

Earth's inner shadow falls upon the lunar disk

Earth's umbral shadow encroaches on the lunar disk. (Image credit: Lucas Aguayo Araos/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The moon will begin its drift into the deepest part of Earth's shadow, the umbra, at 12:27 p.m. EDT (1627 GMT). The shadow seen during this partial phase of the lunar eclipse is far sharper than the subtly diffuse one of the earlier penumbral phase. Earth's vast silhouette will appear to consume the upper left extreme of the lunar disk within minutes of the onset of the umbral phase, before advancing eastward at a dramatic pace.

By the time Earth's umbral silhouette has covered 75% of the lunar surface, the moon's shadowed regions may appear to adopt a deep red-brown color, as longer, redder wavelengths of sunlight are refracted onto the moon's surface by our planet's dense atmosphere.

Totality

A blood moon pictured during totality. (Image credit: LUIS ACOSTA/AFP via Getty Images)

The crescendo of the Sept. 7-8 lunar eclipse will begin at 1:30 p.m. EDT (1730 GMT) as the final sliver of the lunar disk falls into the shadowy embrace of Earth's umbra, signaling the start of totality. During this phase, the lunar disk will transform into a spectacular blood moon, as it bathes in the red-orange refracted light of every sunset and sunrise happening on Earth at that moment. The brightness and color of the moon during totality will depend on a number of factors ranging from the weather conditions on Earth to the amount of dust present in our atmosphere.

Totality will last for approximately 82 minutes according to Time and Date, with the point of maximum eclipse occurring at 2:11 a.m. EDT (1811 GMT). During this time, viewers may notice the lower portion of the lunar disk around Mare Nubium (the Sea of Clouds) appear slightly lighter than the upper region of the lunar disk, which passes closer to the center of Earth's vast umbral shadow.

Earth's shadow slips from the lunar disk

The moon's shadow is pictured slipping from the lunar disk. (Image credit: EZEQUIEL BECERRA/AFP via Getty Images)

Earth's umbra will begin to slip from the lunar disk at 2:52 p.m. EDT (1852 GMT), revealing a bright crescent on the left edge of its disk that will grow to engulf the entirety of the moon's surface, banishing the ruddy glow of totality. This partial eclipse phase will last a little over an hour, after which our planet's penumbral shadow will recede left to right across the lunar disk, with the eclipse drawing to a close at 4:55 p.m. EDT (2055 GMT).

The Sept. 7-8 total lunar eclipse will be followed by a partial solar eclipse on Sept. 21, which will be visible from parts of southern Australia, a slew of Pacific islands and Antarctica.

Editor's Note: If you capture a picture of the total lunar eclipse and want to share it with Space.com's readers, then please send your photo(s) and comments, along with your name and the location of your shoot to spacephotos@space.com.

Watch today's blood moon total lunar eclipse free online with these livestreams (video)

Anthony Wood — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Check out our wrap article to see the best photos of the September 2025 total lunar eclipse as seen by photographers across the globe!

Stargazers will be treated to a spectacular view on the night of Sept. 7-8, as Earth's inner shadow sweeps across its natural satellite, triggering a "blood moon" total lunar eclipse. Here's how you can watch the entire event live online for free.

A total lunar eclipse occurs when Earth passes directly between the moon and sun during a full moon phase, veiling the ancient satellite in its colossal shadow. Over 7 billion people are expected to have a line of sight on the moon during totality as the Sept. 7-8 eclipse unfolds, while others will bear witness to lesser partial eclipse phases, or, in the case of the U.S., will see nothing of it at all.

Read on to discover a selection of free livestreams that will ensure an unspoiled view of Earth's umbral shadow as it engulfs the lunar surface, regardless of your geographical location, or the ever present threat of blanket cloud cover. Be sure to check out our lunar eclipse live blog to stay up to date with the latest news in the buildup to the Sept. 7-8 blood moon total lunar eclipse! Want to know more about the upcoming lunar eclipse? Take a look at our total lunar eclipse September 2025 guide.

The Virtual Telescope Project

The Virtual Telescope Project is set to host a free livestream of the total lunar eclipse as seen by the organization's suite of robotic telescopes located in Manciano, Italy.

Viewers can tune in to the YouTube live-feed from 1:45 p.m. EDT (17:45 GMT) on Sept. 7, as the fully eclipsed moon slips above the Italian horizon. Viewers will be treated to a view of the blood moon during totality soon after moonrise, followed by the spectacle of Earth's shadow slipping from the lunar disk.

Time and Date

Time and Date will return for another total lunar eclipse livestream hosted by journalist Anne Buckle and Graham Jones, while other members of a team led by CEO and chief eclipse chaser Steffen Thorsen will capture live views of the event from the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean.

The free YouTube livestream will be available from 12 p.m. EDT (1600 GMT) on Sept. 7 and will feature live views of the moon as it falls into the outer (penumbra) and inner (umbra) regions of Earth's shadow, along with totality, and the phases that follow.

Editor's Note: If you capture an image of the total lunar eclipse and want to share it with Space.com's readers, then please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.

What time is the blood moon total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7?

daisy.dobrijevic@space.com (Daisy Dobrijevic) — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Check out our wrap article to see the best photos of the September 2025 total lunar eclipse as seen by photographers across the globe!

A total lunar eclipse will occur overnight on Sunday (Sept. 7) into the early hours of Monday (Sept. 8), creating a striking red 'blood moon' for skywatchers across Asia, Western Australia and Europe.

The September lunar eclipse will reach totality, when the moon is fully immersed in Earth's dark umbral shadow, at 1:30 p.m. EDT (1730 GMT) on Sept. 7.

Totality, the period when the moon is completely engulfed in Earth's umbral shadow, will last for approximately 82 minutes. Key totality viewing times according to Time and Date across different time zones include:

London (BST): 7:30 p.m. – 7:52 p.m. (Sept. 7) — moon rises already in eclipse
Paris (CEST): 7:30 p.m. – 8:52 p.m. (Sept. 7) — visible low on the horizon
Cape Town (SAST): 7:30 p.m. – 8:52 p.m. (Sept. 7)
Istanbul/Cairo/Nairobi (EEST/EAT): 8:30 p.m. – 9:52 p.m. (Sept. 7)
Tehran (IRST): 9:00 p.m. – 10:22 p.m. (Sept. 7)
Mumbai (IST): 11:00 p.m. (Sept. 7) – 12:22 a.m. (Sept. 8)
Bangkok (ICT): 12:30 a.m. – 1:52 a.m. (Sept. 8)
Beijing (CST): 1:30 a.m. – 2:52 a.m. (Sept. 8)
Hong Kong (HKT): 1:30 a.m. – 2:52 a.m. (Sept. 8)
Perth (AWST): 1:30 a.m. – 2:52 a.m. (Sept. 8)
Tokyo (JST): 2:30 a.m. – 3:52 a.m. (Sept. 8)
Sydney (AEST): 3:30 a.m. – 4:52 a.m. (Sept. 8)

Almost 77% of the world's population will be able to witness the entire total phase of this eclipse, according to Time and Date.

If you're unable to catch the lunar eclipse in person, you can watch the blood moon total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7 with these free livestreams. We'll also be livestreaming the event on Space.com so you can enjoy the blood moon from the comfort of your own home. Follow along with the latest updates in our lunar eclipse live blog.

What will happen

The eclipse begins as the moon enters Earth's penumbral shadow, causing a subtle shading effect. As it moves deeper into the umbra, a dark shadow will creep across the lunar surface until, during "totality," it turns a reddish-orange hue. The exact shade of the blood moon depends on Earth's atmospheric conditions at the time of the eclipse.

This eclipse occurs just 2.7 days before the moon reaches perigee (its closest point to Earth), meaning the moon will appear slightly larger than usual in the night sky. Because this total eclipse will sit deep within Earth's umbra, the darkest part of our planet's shadow, the moon is expected to turn a rich, dark red.

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For observers in Asia and Australia, the moon will be high in the sky during totality, making it ideal for viewing and photography. In Europe and Africa, the eclipse will be visible as the moon rises at dusk. The Americas, unfortunately, will miss out on this one.

Editor's note: This article was corrected to reflect the fact that totality began at 1:30 p.m. EDT (1730 GMT) on Sept. 7.

Editor's note: If you capture a photo of the total lunar eclipse and would like to share it with Space.com's readers, please email it along with any comments to spacephotos@space.com.

Where to see today's blood moon lunar eclipse

daisy.dobrijevic@space.com (Daisy Dobrijevic) — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The second total lunar eclipse of 2025 will transform the full moon into a coppery-red "blood moon" on the night of Sept. 7–8.

This long-lasting, impressive eclipse is visible to billions worldwide, but exactly what you'll see depends on where you're watching it from.

You can keep up with the latest lunar eclipse news with our total lunar eclipse live blog. If you live outside of the viewing area or can't make it outside to view the eclipse live, luckily you can watch the blood moon total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7 with these free livestreams.

Best places to see the total lunar eclipse

The best views of the total lunar eclipse will be from Asian and Western Australia, where skywatchers can see the entire event from start to finish, according to Time and Date.

Totality, when the moon is fully immersed in Earth's shadow, will last 82 minutes, from 17:30 to 18:52 GMT (1:30–2:52 a.m. local time in Perth, 2:30–3:52 a.m. in Tokyo).

Observers across eastern Australia, New Zealand, Africa and parts of the Middle East will also see most of the eclipse phases. The only major regions missing out entirely are the Americas. But don't worry, U.S. skywatchers won't have to wait too much longer for a blood moon as the total lunar eclipse on March 2–3 2026 will be visible from Asia, Australia and North America.

Tricky viewing in Europe

From much of Europe, the total lunar eclipse will already be underway at moonrise. That means the blood-red moon will climb above the eastern horizon already darkened, creating a dramatic but challenging sight. Because eclipsed moons appear dimmer than normal, a clear, unobstructed view low to the horizon will be needed to catch the lunar show.

For example, in Berlin, the moon rises at 7:37 p.m. CEST, just as totality begins, while in London, the moon rises at 7:30 p.m. BST, shortly after the eclipse has reached totality. Western Europe will see less of the eclipse as the moon rises later into the event.

The moon can be harder to see when it is fully eclipsed. (Image credit: WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)

What to expect

Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are safe to watch with the naked eye. The moon will gradually shift from a bright silver to a deep red as Earth's shadow covers it. Because this is a relatively "deep" eclipse, where the moon passes deep within the center of Earth's shadow, known as the umbra, expect the moon to look darker than usual, glowing a rusty orange or even brown-red.

When is the next 'blood moon' total lunar eclipse visible from North America?

Jamie Carter — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000

It may not be as dramatic as a total solar eclipse, but there's something equally epic about watching Earth's shadow gradually engulfing and coloring the moon during a total lunar eclipse. The next total lunar eclipse — colloquially called a "blood moon" — will occur on Sept. 7-8, 2025, but it won't be another 177 days until the phenomenon is visible from parts of North America, on March 2-3, 2026.

An eclipse of the moon is a global event, happening at a specific time, and only those on the night side of Earth see it. On Sept. 7-8, North America won't be on the night side, with prime visibility limited to Africa, India, China and Australia. Western Europe will get a glimpse of the event at moonrise, but mostly misses out on the event, too. That's a shame because the Sept.7-8 total lunar eclipse will see the lunar surface turn reddish for 82 minutes, just as it did on March 13-14, 2025, when moongazers in North America were in prime position for some spectacular photos.

However, exactly one lunar year — 354 days (12 orbits of the moon around Earth) — later, another total lunar eclipse will be visible from North America. The next blood moon visible from North America will be overnight on March 2-3, 2026, when the lunar surface will turn reddish for 58 minutes. It will be seen from North America, Australia and East Asia, though the epicenter will be the Pacific Ocean.

It's a case of the farther west you are in North America, the better view you'll get. In fact, skywatchers in New York will see only a short totality at the moonset on March 3. Even in the Midwest, totality takes place close to the moonset, with only those west of Kansas seeing totality higher in the sky. That's important because the moon tends to glow orange when it's close to the horizon anyway, so the redness of totality loses its impact when it occurs close to the horizon.

Visibility map for the "blood moon" total lunar eclipse on March 2/3, 2026. (Image credit: U.S. Naval Observatory)

Although the West Coast — California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska in the U.S., and British Columbia in Canada — will get to see all stages of the eclipse high in the sky, arguably the best places will be those with reliably clear skies. In March, your best chances are the desert southwest (the southern regions of California, Arizona and New Mexico) and Hawaii, according to data from Time and Date.

The March 2-3, 2026 total lunar eclipse is the third of three in a row inside one lunar year. Total lunar eclipses — which always occur during a full moon — often arrive in triads, accompanied by at least one solar eclipse two weeks before and/or after. In this case, it's preceded by an annular solar eclipse caused by a new moon on Feb. 17, 2026, during which 96% of the sun's disk will be blocked by the moon for up to 2 minutes 20 seconds — but only as seen from Antarctica.

One week until the blood moon total lunar eclipse lights up September's sky

Anthony Wood — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Get ready stargazers!

In just one week, Earth's shadow will roll across the lunar surface, giving rise to a spectacular 'blood moon' total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7-8.

A total lunar eclipse occurs when Earth passes between the moon and sun, casting its shadow over our natural satellite. The tilted orbit of Earth's moon prevents us from experiencing a total lunar eclipse every month during the full moon phase. However, about three times every year, orbital mechanics conspire to bring the Earth, moon and sun into perfect alignment, setting the stage for a breathtaking lunar spectacle.

The week leading up to the total lunar eclipse is the perfect time to stake out your ideal eclipse viewing spot. This extra bit of prep will give photographers the opportunity to line up spectacular compositions featuring the eclipsed moon alongside iconic landmarks, while also allowing naked eye viewers to ensure that there won't be any pesky buildings ruining their view.

Stargazers lucky enough to have a direct line of sight on the moon during the total lunar eclipse will see it take on a rusty red hue as it slips into the deepest part of Earth's shadow during totality, known as its umbra. This crimson glow comes from Rayleigh scattering, wherein bluer wavelengths of sunlight are deflected by particles in Earth's atmosphere, while longer red wavelengths are allowed to pass through relatively unhindered.

During totality, the moon is saturated in the longer wavelengths of sunlight, causing it to turn a deep red, granting it the moniker of a "blood moon".

There's absolutely no need to panic if clouds threaten your view of the lunar spectacle, or if the moon is below the horizon as the eclipse unfolds, as Space.com will be hosting a livestream of the event online, with details to be released closer to the time. You can also follow along with the latest eclipse news via our lunar eclipse live blog, which will provide views of the different eclipse phases as they happen, along with reports from observers in the field.

What to look out for when the blood moon rises on Sept. 7-8

The total lunar eclipse will begin globally at 11:28 a.m. (1528 GMT) on Sept. 7, with totality occurring at 1:30 p.m. ET (1730 GMT) and stretching on for a staggering 82 minutes before the deepest part of Earth's shadow begins to slip from the surface of the lunar disk.

Each phase of the eclipse will occur at the same time for everyone on Earth, though your ability to see it will be dictated by whether the moon is above the horizon as the cosmic alignment plays out.

The global path of the total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7, 2025. (Image credit: F. Espenak, NASA's GSFC)

An estimated 5.8 billion people — roughly 76% of the world's population — spread across Australia, Asia, Africa and eastern Europe will be in a position to witness totality from beginning to end.

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(Image credit: Jamie Carter)

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Viewers in countries on either side of this block, such as the U.K., Spain and Brazil, will get a glimpse at some phases of the eclipse, but miss parts, or all of totality. Sadly, the moon will be below the horizon for the entirety of the Sept. 7-8 eclipse for those in the Americas.

There's no risk of damaging your eyesight when viewing the stages of a total lunar eclipse — as opposed to a solar eclipse, where utmost care must be taken to protect your eyesight — so feel free to observe the event through a telescope, with binoculars, or the naked eye!

Looking to get a lasting memory of the Sept. 7 eclipse? Then why not check out our guide to photographing a lunar eclipse with a DSLR and read our roundup of the best cameras and lenses available for astrophotography in 2025.

Editor's Note: This article was updated on Sept. 2, 2025 to reflect the fact that lunar eclipses occur during a monthly full moon phase.

A blood moon is coming: Here's what you need to know about the total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7

daisy.dobrijevic@space.com (Daisy Dobrijevic) — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

On Sept 7, 2025, a dramatic "blood moon" will rise as Earth experiences its second total lunar eclipse of the year.

Skywatchers across Asia and Western Australia will get the best view of the Sept. 7 total lunar eclipse from start to finish, but those in Europe, Africa, eastern Australia and New Zealand may still catch a glimpse of the moon during some of the eclipse phases, including totality.

You can learn more about the total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7 with our lunar eclipse 2025 guide and keep up to date with the latest lunar eclipse content with our lunar eclipse live blog.

What time is the lunar eclipse?

Lunar eclipses are global events that happen at the same time for everyone, no matter where you are on Earth. However, whether you see the eclipse depends on whether the moon is above your horizon at that time.

The Sept. 7 lunar eclipse will take place between 15:28 and 20:55 GMT with the moon fully immersed in Earth's dark inner shadow — known as the umbra — for a stunning 82 minutes of totality between 17:30 and 18:52 GMT.

Here's when totality happens in some key cities.

Perth, Australia: 1:30 to 2:52 a.m. AWST on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025
Mumbai, India: 11:00 p.m. IST on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025 to 12:22 a.m. IST on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025
Cairo: 8:30 to 9:52 p.m. EEST on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025
Cape Town, South Africa: 7:30 to 8:52 p.m. SAST on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025

These are times for totality only — the most dramatic part of the eclipse. But it's worth looking up at least 75 minutes earlier to watch the partial eclipse as Earth's shadow slowly creeps across the moon, and staying after totality to see the moon gradually return to full brightness.

For specific timings for your location, we recommend heading over to Time and Date where you can find detailed viewing information.

Where can I see the lunar eclipse?

The global path of the total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7, 2025. (Image credit: F. Espenak, NASA's GSFC)

Approximately 77% of the world's population, about 6.2 billion people, will be able to see all of the total phase of the lunar eclipse, with almost 88% (7.1 billion people) seeing at least some of the penumbral phase, according to Time and Date.

In Europe, however, the moon will rise already eclipsed, so timing and a clear view of the eastern horizon will be key. Here's when moonrise and totality line up in a few European cities:

Moonrise and totality in European cities
City	Moonrise (local time)	Totality (local time)
Berlin	7:37 p.m. CEST	7:30 to 8:52 p.m. CEST
Vienna	7:20 p.m. CEST	7:30 to 8:52 p.m. CEST
Budapest	7:08 p.m. CEST	7:30 to 8:52 p.m. CEST
Paris	8:17 p.m. CEST	7:30 to 8:52 p.m. CEST
Madrid	8:34 p.m. CEST	7:30 to 8:52 p.m. CEST
London	7:30 p.m. BST	6:30 to 7:52 p.m. BST

In these locations, the moon will already be a deep red when it appears — a haunting sight if you catch it low on the horizon.

What to expect

This eclipse occurs just 2.7 days before the moon reaches perigee (the point in its orbit closest to Earth), so the moon will appear slightly larger than usual, though not enough for most people to notice.

What will be noticeable is how deeply shaded this eclipse is. About 36% of the moon's diameter will pass through the darkest part of Earth's shadow, resulting in a dark, richly colored eclipse. Expect a bold reddish hue as sunlight filters through Earth's atmosphere and bends toward the moon — creating the eerie "blood moon" effect.

If you're in a part of the world where the eclipse will be visible, this is one eclipse you won't want to miss. And if you're not in the viewing zone, don't worry! Space.com will be livestreaming the eclipse, so you can still watch the moon turn blood red in real time. We'll share the full livestream details close to the date.

Total lunar eclipse March 2025: Best photos of the "Blood Worm Moon"

daisy.dobrijevic@space.com (Daisy Dobrijevic) — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 08:29:23 +0000

As the Full Worm Moon rose overnight, skywatchers across the Americas turned their eyes — and their cameras — toward the sky. Over several hours, Earth's shadow slowly crept across the lunar surface, turning our celestial neighbor into a deep, blood-red orb.

This was the first total lunar eclipse since 2022, and photographers — both amateur and professional — were not going to let the rare opportunity to capture the spectacle pass, even if it meant staying awake well into the early morning hours.

If you didn't manage to see the total lunar eclipse or if you just want to relive the show all over again, we've rounded up some of the best "Blood Worm Moon" photos from across North America and beyond. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, Earth, and moon align in such a way that Earth casts its shadow on the moon. During totality, the moon moves through Earth’s umbra, the darkest part of its shadow, creating the deep red hue of a "Blood Moon." The March full moon is traditionally known as the "Worm Moon" because this is the time of year when the ground softens and earthworm casts reappear. For these reasons, this total lunar eclipse in March is sometimes referred to as the "Blood Worm Moon."

Landscape astrophotographer Josh Dury has sent us some breathtaking photos of the total lunar eclipse from his vantage point at Castle Stalker, Appin, Scotland.

Total lunar eclipse March 2025 above Appin, Scotland. (Image credit: Josh Dury)

Dury headed to Scotland in search of good weather and found it! In a battle against the setting moon and the rising sun, Dury captured some remarkable shots of the total lunar eclipse.

Josh Dury

Space.com's Josh Dinner captured this stunning shot of the "Blood Moon" while waiting for his car to charge on a long drive home from Florida.

Beautifully detailed "Blood Worm Moon" during totality. (Image credit: Josh Dinner)

Photographer Yuri Cortex captured a beautiful, rusty-red view of the moon during the total lunar eclipse from Mexico City, Mexico.

Total lunar eclipse from Mexico City, Mexico. (Image credit: YURI CORTEZ/AFP via Getty Image)

Stargazers in Australia also enjoyed a great view of the total lunar eclipse. Photographer Izhar Khan captured the "Blood Moon" over Lake George near Canberra, Australia.

The total lunar eclipse reflected in the calm waters of Lake George, Australia. (Image credit: IZHAR KHAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Photographer Brandon Bell took this lovely detailed photograph of the total lunar eclipse over Merritt Island, Florida. Here you can see the lower right portion of the moon in Earth's deep umbra shadow.

The full Blood Worm Moon is seen during a total lunar eclipse on March 14, 2025 in Merritt Island, Florida. (Image credit: Brandon Bell/Getty Images )

It looks like we weren't the only ones watching the lunar eclipse! Here, the rusty red moon appears above the "Forever Marilyn" statue in Palm Springs, California.

Lunar eclipse above the "Forever Marilyn" statue, Palm Springs, California. (Image credit: PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

Below, photographer Patrick Fallon also captured the eclipse above the fronds of a palm from his vantage point in Palm Springs, California.

The lunar eclipse is seen above the fronds of a palm tree during the Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse in Palm Springs, California. (Image credit: PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

A beautifully detailed photograph captured by photographer Miguel J. Rodriguez shows the Blood Worm Moon shining over Daytona Beach, Florida.

A detailed view of the Blood Worm Moon, Daytona Beach, Florida. (Image credit: Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo Getty Images)

Photographer Antonio Ojeda snapped this lovely scene of the full moon rising in Saltillo, Mexico.

"Blood Worm Moon", Saltillo, Mexico. (Image credit: Antonio Ojeda/Agencia Press South/Getty Images)

Skywatchers gather around telescopes in Caracas, Venezuela, to see the blood-red Worm Moon.

Photographer Juan Barreto captured this lovely image of skywatchers enjoying the view of the total lunar eclipse from Caracas, Venezuela. (Image credit: Photo by JUAN BARRETO/AFP via Getty Images)

What a shot! Aurora chaser Vincent Ledvina posted an incredible photograph on X showing not only the "Blood Moon" but the "Blood Moon" AND the northern lights!

Geomagnetic activity really picked up throughout the night, reaching G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm levels at 9:42 p.m. EDT (0142 GMT). The sky decided to put on quite the show for those lucky skywatchers in the right place at the right time.

Insane! Totality and aurora! pic.twitter.com/LTIMrHff0qMarch 14, 2025

Another aurora chaser, Rj Rolden, captured an aurora corona overhead and the total lunar eclipse.

"Are you kidding me??? Whoaaaaa!!! I am one lucky guy who witnessed the perfect duo!!!" Rolden wrote in a post on X.

Are you kidding me??? Whoaaaaa!!! I am one lucky guy who witnessed the perfect duo!!! What an amazing #aurora corona sided by the beautiful #LunarEclipse blood moon!!! I cant believe I have seen it with my naked eyes!!!! Yahooooooo!!!! #northernlights #bloodmoon @StoryfulNews… pic.twitter.com/XLhI6AUT38March 14, 2025

It's not just totality that wows skywatchers — every stage of a lunar eclipse has its own unique beauty. This photo by Brandon Bell captures the moment the moon enters the darkest part of Earth's shadow, the umbra.

The full Worm Moon enters the umbra ahead of its total eclipse on March 14, 2025 in Merritt Island, Florid (Image credit: Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Photographer Andrew Chin took this beautiful photo of the partial phase of the total lunar eclipse from Vancouver, Canada.

Partial lunar eclipse phase, Vancouver, Canada. (Image credit: Andrew Chin/Getty Images)

This delicate partially eclipsed moon looks stunning in this photograph captured by Yuri Cortez from Mexico City, Mexico. Here, we can see Earth's umbra, the darkest part of the shadow, engulfing the lunar surface during the total lunar eclipse.

Partial lunar eclipse phase from Mexico City, Mexico. (Image credit: YURI CORTEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

If this eclipse has you excited for the next one, you won’t have to wait as long as last time. The next total lunar eclipse is on Sept. 7, 2025, and will be visible across Asia and Western Australia.

Feeling inspired to take a more in-depth moonlit tour of our rocky companion? Our ultimate guide to observing the moon will help you plan your next skywatching venture, whether it be exploring the lunar seas, mountainous terrain, or the many craters that blanket the landscape. You can also see where astronauts, rovers and landers have ventured with our Apollo landing sites observing guide.

How to spot fake images of the 'Blood Worm Moon' total lunar eclipse

Robert Lea — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 16:00:00 +0000

North America is about to experience a dramatic lunar eclipse as the "Blood Moon" eclipse turns the moon blood red overnight tonight (March 13-14).

That means skywatchers around the globe are anticipating a flood of incredible lunar images over the next few days. However, the boom in AI image generation and the availability of photo editing software mean that fake images are easier to create than ever. That means lunarphiles face a challenge: How can they sort the real deal eclipse images from the fakes?

No worries — Space.com has your six! We've teamed up with Catalina Sky Survey scientist, asteroid hunter, and RankinStudio astrophotographer David Rankin to help you spot the fakes this eclipse season!

"Fake images are definitely on the rise. Faking images in tools like Photoshop used to take a lot of skill. It's very easy to do now with the assistance of AI-generated graphics," Rankin told Space.com. "This isn't just impacting astronomy but every area of photography from landscape to modeling, to wildlife, and more.

"People are desperate for likes and recognition, so they are willing to engage in editing techniques that I think go past basic image manipulation and into the realm of fantasy artwork."

Rankin explained that these images often get passed off as "photographs," which can impact real astrophotographers and fool the public.

"I have been a photographer for many years, and it can be a pretty competitive business. There are always people out there trying to push the envelope, and oftentimes it gets pushed too far," he said. "I think it's important that if we are passing images off to fans as 'photography,' those images are rooted in reality, not fantasy."

Tip 1: Fakers 'go big!'

While we space fans know that the moon is spectacular in all of its guises, if you were creating a fake image of our lunar buddy, then you might be inclined to exaggerate its proportions somewhat.

A vast, dominating moon can be one of the easiest ways of distinguishing a fake image, especially if you have landmarks to use as a guide.

Stunning, but the moon shouldn't be this big! This Blood Moon eclipse image is a fake (Image credit: Brett Tingley (created with Google Gemini/ Imagen 3) )

"There are obvious tells and less obvious tells. If at first glance the moon appears larger than you've ever seen it relative to the foreground or sky, it probably has been scaled up," Ranking said. "This was the most common manipulation I found when digging into fake Lunar eclipse images.

"When you shoot wider, say at 20-50mm, the moon just doesn't appear large in the image, so people are tempted to scale it up."

Tip 2: Look to the stars!

Let's say there are no manmade landmarks to look to to assess the size of the moon. What do you do then? No worries; the cosmos has you covered.

You can check the angular size of the moon in relation to background stars to determine whether an image has been tampered with or is a composite (i.e., a genuine image of the moon has been dropped into an image of the sky in which it was originally absent).

"Unfortunately, no matter what focal length you shoot at, it is an astronomical fact that the moon doesn't occupy much more than around 1/2 a degree against the night sky," Rankin added. "It is very easy to show images have been manipulated when the moon is presented at many degrees wide relative to the stars on the sky."

Tip 3: What are you doing here?

Another noticeable sign of a fake image is when the moon is placed in an area of the sky where it just doesn't go.

For example, Rankin said the moon right next to the Big Dipper asterism is a sure sign of fakery.

This is even easier for an event like a total lunar eclipse rather than a full moon, as these latter events can only be seen in select regions of the globe.

For instance, this event is only visible from North America. If you see a constellation or asterism in an eclipse image that wasn't visible over North America on Thursday night/ Friday morning (or whenever that eclipse occurred), you are clearly looking at a fake!

Seeing the various stages of an eclipse in a single image ISN'T a giveaway of fakery, the same effect is acheiveable with time-lapse photography. This image is given away by the fact the stars in the background aren't in the right arrangements (Image credit: Brett Tingley (Google Gemini/ Imagen 3))

Of course, we can't all be adept at identifying constellations and asterisms and pinpointing their locations in the sky at any given time. Fortunately, Astrometry.net can be used to do this without the fuss.

Input an image into the site, and it provides you with astrometric calibration data and lists of known objects falling inside the field of view, helping to crack down on fakes!

Tip 4: Go deeper!

Astrophotographers are generally a pretty proud bunch, and so they should be. This means that when they share an image, they usually give information about when and where that image was taken. Often, they will also be happy to share details of the equipment they used to capture that image.

If this info is missing from an image, say when it is shared on social media, you could always ask the photographers.

One issue that is more common with full moon images than those of eclipses, which are pretty unique, is the publication of an old image that can be mistaken for one recently taken.

One way of determining if an image is actually an older picture taken during a different full moon is to run it through a Google image search to see if it has been published before.

This isn't going to come as much of a surprise to most readers, but you can't really trust what you see and read on social media.

This isn't foolproof, but you can check that the account you see images on is legitimate and an official account of the organisation or person whose name it bears.

This doesn't guarantee that you are seeing a genuine image, but if that organisation has a good reputation and some scientific credibility, like NASA or the European Space Agency (ESA), then it's more likely that its images will be the genuine article.

Also, those types of organisations are likely to have sites of their own. Check if images are replicated there, and you may find more of the details listed above, like where and when the images were captured, to help verify their authenticity.

Tip 6: Do it yourself!

The easiest way to ensure that eclipse photos, or images of any other astronomical event, are the real deal is to take them yourself!

While it might be too late to get out and catch this lunar eclipse, Space.com has a guide that will help you set out on this astrophotography journey for yourself.

Even if you miss the Blood Moon, you could get the chance to follow some of the advice in this guide when the partial solar eclipse rolls around in September 2025.

If you want to get a closer look at the moon during lunar eclipses or at any other time, check out our guides to the best telescopes and best binoculars.

TOP TELESCOPE PICK:

(Image credit: Amazon)

The Celestron NexStar 4SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of the night sky. It's sturdily built, quick to set up and automatically locates night sky targets and provides crisp, clear views of them. For a more in-depth look at our Celestron NexStar 4SE review.

Astrophotographer Rankin intends to take this Blood Moon total eclipse a little easier than usual and enjoy the spectacle.

"I plan to at least go watch the total lunar eclipse," he concluded. "I think eclipses are beautiful to view and I've shot many of them.

"Sometimes it's nice to just take the photons into your retinas and not try to capture every single thing in digital format, though."

Rankin gives examples of some of the eclipse photos he has debunked on his website.

Editor's note: If you snap a great picture of the moon during March's total lunar eclipse, and would like to share it with Space.com's readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com

'Blood Worm Moon' US weather forecast: Best places to see tonight's total lunar eclipse

Joe Rao — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 13:30:20 +0000

Editor's note: Wow, what a show! You can see some of the best photos of the "Blood Worm Moon" total lunar eclipse here in our photo roundup story.

As far as viewing prospects for tonight's total eclipse of the moon are concerned, it would appear that three-quarters of the nation will have at least some occasional views of the moon plunging through Earth's dark shadow. The period of total eclipse will begin at 2:26 a.m. Eastern Time early Friday morning, which corresponds to 11:26 p.m. Pacific time late this evening or 0626 GMT. Totality will last 66 minutes.

The region of the country that will likely have the best overall weather conditions for tonight's total lunar eclipse will be the lower Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, southwest into the Central Plains and down into the Lone Star State of Texas.

In contrast, a major storm emerging out of the Northern and Central Rockies will be accompanied by a broad swath of clouds and precipitation which will extend across Montana south to eastern Arizona and western New Mexico, likely hiding any views of the lunar eclipse.

Other areas where eclipse weather will be problematic will be near and along the Pacific coast of Washington, Oregon, and northern and central California where a marine layer of low clouds will be in place at eclipse time. A similar area of low clouds is expected to hide the moon near and along the Gulf Coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle, as well as parts of south Florida.

Also, near and along the I-95 corridor from the Virginia Capes and extending northeast to Downeast Maine, an offshore weather disturbance will create a northeast airflow that likely will result in low cloudiness being swept in from off the cool Atlantic Ocean, hiding a view of the moon for big cities such as Philadelphia, New York and Boston.

However, a short drive inland to the west and north of these places should take one out from underneath this curtain of ocean clouds and into generally clear skies.

A total lunar eclipse as seen on July 27, 2018 in Hechingen, Germany. (Image credit: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

We have prepared a map of the U.S. which shows those regions where sky conditions look the best ... and worst, for eclipse watchers. We have broken things down into three categories:

GOOD: Cloud cover ranges from clear to scattered cloud cover; generally, no more than 30%.

FAIR: Cloud cover ranges from scattered to broken cloud cover; generally, 30% to no more than 70%. In spite of the existing clouds, there probably will be large breaks and openings that will allow for periodic views of the moon going into eclipse.

POOR: Cloud cover ranges from 70% to complete overcast. At worse, a complete shut-out of the eclipse. At best, perhaps some occasional views of the moon similar to what poet Alfred Noyes described in "The Highwaymen":

"The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas."

A map of the United States indicating what viewing conditions can be expected during the Blood Moon total lunar eclipse overnight on March 13-14, 2025. (Image credit: Joe Rao)

A total lunar eclipse comes to North America tonight: Here's everything you need to know about the 'Blood Worm Moon'

daisy.dobrijevic@space.com (Daisy Dobrijevic) — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Editor's note: Wow, what a show! You can see some of the best photos of the "Blood Worm Moon" total lunar eclipse here in our photo roundup story.

The moon will turn red tonight for skywatchers across the U.S., but to see this total lunar eclipse unfold, you need to be in the right place at the right time.

The total lunar eclipse will happen overnight tonight (March 13-14) during March's full moon, with the maximum eclipse occurring at 2:59 a.m. EDT (6:59 GMT) on March 14. It is the first total lunar eclipse visible anywhere in the world since November 2022. and will also be the first of three happening between 2025 and 2026.

If you cannot watch the eclipse in person, you can watch all the eclipse action live here on Space.com and keep up to date with the latest lunar eclipse news and events with our lunar eclipse live blog.

The total lunar eclipse will be fully visible across North America and most of South America, where totality will seen in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. Western Europe and parts of West Africa will catch totality at moonset. In New Zealand, the eclipse will be partially visible as the moon rises on March 14.

A map showing where the March 13-14, 2025, lunar eclipse will be visible. (Image credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio)

A lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, Earth and moon line up such that Earth casts a shadow on the lunar surface. During "totality," the moon moves through Earth's umbra, the dark center of its shadow, giving rise to the red-hued "Blood Moon".

Totality phase timings across North America by time zone

2:26 to 3:31 a.m. EDT on Friday, March 14, 2025
1:26 to 2:31 a.m. CDT on Friday, March 14, 2025
12:26 to 1:31 a.m. MDT on Friday, March 14, 2025
11:26 p.m. PDT on Thursday, March 13, 2025, to 12:31 a.m. on Friday, March 14, 2025
10:26 p.m. to 11:31 p.m. AKDT on Thursday, March 13, 2025
8:26 p.m. to 9:31 p.m. HST on Thursday, March 13, 2025

All in all, from the beginning of the first glimpse of the penumbral phase to the very end, the lunar eclipse will last 6 hours and 3 minutes, according to TimeandDate.

Timings of the total lunar eclipse in EDT. (Image credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio)

Photographing the total lunar eclipse

What do lunar eclipses teach us about Earth?

Stefanie Waldek — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 17:00:00 +0000

Ready for a show? On the night of March 13 into the early hours of March 14, a total lunar eclipse will occur as the moon moves into the Earth's umbra, or shadow, turning the bright white lunar surface an eerie red. (It's no wonder this phenomenon is nicknamed the "blood moon.")

But eclipses aren't only an entertaining astronomical show — they have practical implications for science, too.

While eclipses might've inspired fear in many ancient civilizations, they also inspired scientific discovery. "In ancient Greece, philosophers realized that the Earth is round because the shape of the Earth's shadow on the moon is always curved during an eclipse," Christine Shupla, education manager at the Lunar Planetary Institute, told Space.com. "This is perhaps one of the best-known discoveries from lunar eclipses."

Today, lunar eclipses still teach us a lot about our planet, especially our atmosphere. The reddish color associated with total lunar eclipses occur because sunlight travels through our atmosphere and refracts towards the moon — the atmosphere scatters shorter-wavelength colors like blues and greens, allowing reds and oranges to reach the moon. It's the same reason why sunsets and sunrises feature those beautiful warm tones.

A sequence of images during a total lunar eclipse. (Image credit: HASSAN AMMAR/AFP via Getty Images)

But the moon isn't always the same color during a total lunar eclipse. "How dark and what color the moon appears will tell us more about the changing composition of our own atmosphere," says Shupla. "For instance, sometimes the moon appears reddish, but other times it is much darker and brown-grey, for instance, after a large volcanic eruption has occurred."

We're also able to learn a bit about the moon during lunar eclipses, too, especially from lunar spacecraft. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) "has made observations during prior eclipses, mainly focusing on how quickly the surface temperature changes once the moon is in the Earth's shadow," Noah Petro, LRO project scientist, told Space.com. "Some of the observations have shown that the surface doesn't cool down uniformly. That is, there are differences in surface properties around small craters that are only due to changes in the upper few centimeters of the surface, which is something we normally wouldn't detect."

LRO won't be taking active measurements during this eclipse, but it'll still be affected by it. The solar-powered spacecraft won't encounter direct sunlight during the eclipse, which lasts hours, affecting its power supply. "We put the spacecraft into an optimal orbit so that we fully charge our battery prior to the eclipse, turn off the instruments so we don't drain the battery, and then wait until the battery is recharged before turning the instruments back on," says Petro. "Think of it like putting your phone in low-power mode if you are away from a charger for an extended time."

Total lunar eclipse March 2025 livestreams: Where to watch the 'Blood Moon' online for free tonight

daisy.dobrijevic@space.com (Daisy Dobrijevic) — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Editor's note: Wow, what a show! You can see some of the best photos of the "Blood Worm Moon" total lunar eclipse here in our photo roundup story.

A total lunar eclipse of March's Worm Moon is happening tonight and you can watch it online for free.

Overnight, on March 13-14, the full moon will experience a total lunar eclipse that will be visible across the night side of Earth at the time of the eclipse, with North America in prime position for a spectacular show.

If you cannot watch the eclipse in person, lucky for you, there are several livestreams available online (weather permitting) for you to take in the Worm Moon lunar eclipse. We've listed some of our favorites below. You can also catch up with the latest lunar eclipse news and events with our lunar eclipse live blog.

Lunar eclipses occur when Earth is between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow across the lunar surface. During "totality," the moon moves through Earth's umbra, the dark center of its shadow, giving rise to the red-hued "Blood Moon". The lunar eclipse will reach its maximum phase, whereby the moon is fully obscured by Earth's deepest darkest shadow, the umbra, at 2:59 a.m. EDT (6:59 GMT) on March 14.

Timeanddate

Timeanddate is hosting a livestream of the total lunar eclipse, beginning at 1 a.m. EDT (0500 GMT), March 14. Timeanddate also has a whole host of helpful eclipse resources, including interactive maps and specific times of each stage based on your viewing location.

The Virtual Telescope Project

Astronomer Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project is bringing together a whole team of astrophotographers poised and ready for the celestial show. The livesteam will begin at midnight EDT (0400 GMT on March 14) on the Virtual Telescope Project's WebTV and YouTube Channel.

"As in the past, the Virtual Telescope Project will partner with some great astro-imagers around the globe, to bring to you the stunning beauty of such a unique event," Masi wrote on their events page. "A wonderful example of cooperation through geographical borders!"

Adler Planetarium

The Adler Planetarium is hosting a total lunar eclipse livestream beginning at 10 p.m. EDT (9 p.m. CDT or 0200 GMT), streamed live from the campus of Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Adler Planetarium's livestream will feature astronomy educators to talk all things lunar eclipse, provide live commentary, answer astronomical questions and offer up helpful tips for viewing the event yourself.

Griffith Observatory

The Griffith Observatory in California is hosting an online broadcast of the total lunar eclipse from 11:50 p.m. to 6:05 a.m. EDT (8:50 p.m. to 3:05 a.m., PDT or 0350 to 1005 GMT).

SunshineNate

Earth and space science communicator SunshineNate will be livestreaming the "Blood Worm Moon" on his YouTube channel. The livestream is scheduled to begin tonight at 11:45 p.m. EDT (0345 GMT on March 14).

Be sure not to miss our night sky tonight page and monthly skywatching calendar for more celestial events.

Editor's note: If you get a great picture of the moon during March's total lunar eclipse, and would like to share it with Space.com's readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.

What time is the 'Blood Moon' total lunar eclipse March 13?

daisy.dobrijevic@space.com (Daisy Dobrijevic) — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Editor's note: Wow, what a show! You can see some of the best photos of the "Blood Worm Moon" total lunar eclipse here in our photo roundup story.

A total lunar eclipse will occur overnight tonight (March 13) into the early hours of March 14, creating a striking red "Blood Moon" for observers across North America.

The lunar eclipse will reach its maximum phase, whereby the moon is fully obscured by Earth's deepest darkest shadow, the umbra, at 2:59 a.m. EDT (6:59 GMT) on March 14.

Beautifully detailed "Blood Worm Moon" during totality on March 14, 2025. (Image credit: Josh Dinner)

Totality — the period when the moon is completely engulfed in Earth's shadow — will last for approximately 65 minutes. Key viewing times across different time zones include:

Eastern Time (ET): 2:26 a.m. — 3:31 a.m. (March 14)

Central Time (CT): 1:26 a.m. — 2:31 a.m. (March 14)

Mountain Time (MT): 12:26 a.m. — 1:31 a.m. (March 14)

Pacific Time (PT): 11:26 p.m. (March 13) — 12:31 a.m. (March 14)

Alaska Time (AKDT): 10:26 p.m. — 11:31 p.m. (March 13)

Hawaii Time (HST): 8:26 p.m. — 9:31 p.m. (March 13)

Almost 40% of the world's population lives in areas where at least some portion of the penumbral phase of the eclipse will be visible, according to TimeandDate. To see what phases of the eclipse are visible from your location and at what time, check out these resources from TimeandDate.

If you're unable to catch the lunar eclipse in person, we'll be livestreaming the event on Space.com so you can enjoy the "Blood Moon" from the comfort of your own home. You can watch the lunar eclipse online here on Space.com and catch up with the latest lunar eclipse news and events with our lunar eclipse live blog.

Timings (EDT) for March's total lunar eclipse. (Image credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio)

What to expect

The total lunar eclipse begins as the moon enters Earth's penumbral shadow, causing a subtle shading effect. As it moves deeper into the umbra, a dark shadow will creep across the lunar surface, eventually, during "totality", turning it a reddish-orange hue, often called a "Blood Moon." The exact color depends on Earth's atmospheric conditions.

For observers in the Pacific, the moon will be high in the sky during totality, making it an ideal event for skywatching gatherings. Meanwhile, in Europe and Africa, the eclipse will be visible before moonset at dawn.

Celestron NexStar 4SE

(Image credit: Amazon)

The moon always makes for an interesting skywatching and photography target, especially during a lunar eclipse. If you're looking for some advice on how to capture a perfect lunar eclipse photo, our guide on how to photograph a lunar eclipse may help. We also have a helpful guide on how to photograph a supermoon to keep you occupied before the eclipse rolls in.

And if you want to get a closer look at the moon's many features during lunar eclipses or at any other time, be sure to take a look at our guides to the best telescopes and best binoculars.

Editor's note: If you snap a great picture of the moon during March's total lunar eclipse, and would like to share it with Space.com's readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com

What will happen during the total lunar eclipse of March 2025?

Joe Rao — Sun, 09 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

More than two years have passed since most of North America saw a total lunar eclipse. So be sure to put a big circle on your calendar for Thursday, March 13.

The viewing circumstances for the total eclipse of the full moon that night will be as good as it can get for much of the United States and Canada. The western part of the continent has the best view, but the spectacle of the moon completely immersed in the Earth's shadow will be readily visible from coast to coast.

The duration of totality will be longer than normal, lasting 1 hour and 6 minutes.

Moreover, the eclipse should arouse wide interest. Amateur groups should take this opportunity to alert schools and news media about their eclipse activities and amateur astronomy in general. On the West Coast, this event will occur during convenient mid-to-late evening hours. How about staging a neighborhood eclipse party?

Conversely, for those across the Atlantic, the eclipse will take place low in the western sky as the moon approaches its setting at dawn on Friday. In fact, across western portions of Europe and Africa, the moon will set while in total eclipse, while for those living in New Zealand, as well as those hearty denizens who occupy the Chukchi and Kamchatka Peninsulas of eastern Siberia, the moon will rise on their Friday evening, during totality.

Timings (EDT) for March's total lunar eclipse. (Image credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio)

No avid skywatcher ever misses a total eclipse of the moon. This celestial pageant is often more beautiful and interesting than one would think. During the time that the moon is entering into and later emerging from out of the Earth's shadow, secondary phenomena may be overlooked.

To help prepare for the upcoming eclipse of March 13-14, Space.com's Joe Rao — a veteran of 20 total lunar eclipses — has prepared a chronology, including some of the things you might expect to see. Probably not all of those mentioned will occur because no two eclipses are exactly the same.

But many will and those who know what to look for have a better chance of seeing it!

In the below timetable, local circumstances are provided for eight different time zones. All times are for p.m. on March 13, except when in italics, which corresponds to a.m. on March 14. When dashes are provided, it means that the moon is below the horizon.

Timetable (stage by stage) for the total lunar eclipse March 13-14.
Stage of eclipse	GMT	ADT	EDT	CDT	MDT	PDT	AKDT	HST
1	3:57	12:57	11:57	10:57	9:57	8:57	7:57	——
2	4:47	1:47	12:47	11:47	10:47	9:47	8:47	6:47
3	5:09	2:09	1:09	12:09	11:09	10:09	9:09	7:09
4	6:04	3:04	2:04	1:04	12:04	11:04	10:04	8:04
5	6:22	3:22	2:22	1:22	12:22	11:22	10:22	8:22
6	6:26	3:26	2:26	1:26	12:26	11:26	10:26	8:26
7	——	3:58	2:58	1:58	12:58	11:58	10:58	8:58
8	——	4:32	3:32	2:32	1:32	12:32	11:32	9:32
9	——	4:51	3:51	2:51	1:51	12:51	11:51	9:51
10	——	5:48	4:48	3:48	2:48	1:48	12:48	10:48
11	——	6:10	5:10	4:10	3:10	2:10	1:10	11:10
12	——	7:00	6:00	5:00	4:00	3:00	2:00	12:00

The stages of the total lunar eclipse:

1) Moon enters penumbra

The shadow cone of the Earth has two parts: a dark, inner umbra, surrounded by a lighter penumbra. The penumbra is the pale outer portion of the Earth's shadow. Although the eclipse begins officially at this moment, this is, in essence, an academic event. You won't see anything unusual happening to the moon — at least not just yet. The Earth's penumbral shadow is so faint that it remains invisible until the moon is deeply immersed in it. We must wait until the penumbra has reached roughly 70 percent across the moon's disk. For about the next 50 minutes, the full moon will continue to appear to shine normally, although with each passing minute, it is progressing ever deeper into the Earth's outer shadow.

2) Penumbral shadow begins to appear

Now the moon has progressed far enough into the penumbra so that it should be evident on the moon's disk. Start looking for a very subtle light shading to appear on the moon's left portion. This will become increasingly more and more evident as the minutes pass, the shading appearing to spread and deepen. Just before the moon begins to enter the Earth's dark umbral shadow, the penumbra should appear as an obvious smudge or tarnishing of the moon's left portion.

A combo photo shows the moon during the penumbral lunar eclipse on May 6, 2023, in Yingkou, Liaoning Province of China. (Image credit: Liu Debin/VCG via Getty Images)

3) Moon enters umbra

The moon now begins to cross into the Earth's dark central shadow, called the umbra. A small dark scallop begins to appear on the moon's lower left-hand (southeastern) limb. The partial phases of the eclipse begin; the pace quickens and the change is dramatic. The umbra is much darker than the penumbra and fairly sharp-edged. As the minutes pass, the dark shadow appears to creep slowly across the moon's face. At first, the moon's limb may seem to vanish completely inside of the umbra, but much later, as it moves in deeper, you'll probably notice it glowing dimly orange, red or brown. Notice also that the edge of Earth's shadow projected on the moon is curved. Here is visible evidence that Earth is a sphere, as deduced by Aristotle from lunar eclipses he observed in the 4th century B.C. It is almost as if a dimmer switch is slowly being turned down the surrounding landscape and deep shadows of a brilliant moonlit night begin to fade away.

4) 75 percent coverage

With three-quarters of the moon's disk now eclipsed, that part of it that is immersed in shadow should begin to very faintly light up . . . similar to a piece of iron heated to the point where it just begins to glow. It now becomes obvious that the umbral shadow is not complete darkness. Using binoculars or a telescope, its outer portion is usually light enough to reveal lunar seas and craters, but the central part is much darker, and sometimes no surface features are recognizable. Colors in the umbra vary greatly from one eclipse to the next. Reds and grays usually predominate, but sometimes browns, blues and other tints are encountered.

5) Less than five minutes to totality

Several minutes before (and after) totality, the contrast between the remaining pale-yellow sliver and the ruddy-brown coloration spread over the rest of the moon's disk and may produce a beautiful phenomenon known to some as the "Japanese Lantern Effect," a term first coined by Long Island astrophotographer Peter A. Leavens in the 1950's.

6) Total eclipse begins

When the last of the moon enters the umbra, the total eclipse begins. How the moon will appear during totality is not known. On very rare occasions, some eclipses are such a dark gray-black that the moon nearly vanishes from view. At other times, it can glow a bright orange. The reason the moon can be seen at all when totally eclipsed is that sunlight is scattered and refracted around the edge of the Earth by our atmosphere. To an astronaut standing on the moon during totality, the sun would be hidden behind a dark Earth outlined by a brilliant red ring consisting of all the world's sunrises and sunsets. The brightness of this ring around the Earth depends on global weather conditions and the amount of dust suspended in the air. A clear atmosphere on Earth means a bright lunar eclipse. If a major volcanic eruption has injected particles into the stratosphere during the previous couple of years, the eclipse is very dark. But, as of this writing, no such eruption has happened since our last total lunar eclipse in November 2021, so the betting is that this eclipse will be relatively bright.

7) Middle of totality

The moon is now shining anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 times fainter than it was just a couple of hours ago. Since the moon is moving to the north of the center of the Earth's umbra, the gradation of color and brightness across the moon's disk should be such that its lower portion should appear darkest, with hues of deep copper or chocolate brown. Meanwhile, its upper portion — that part of the moon closest to the outer edge of the umbra — should appear the brightest, with hues of reds, oranges and even perhaps a soft bluish-white.

Observers away from bright city lights will notice a much greater number of stars than were visible earlier in the night.

The moon will lie near the border that separates the zodiac constellations of Leo and Virgo. The darkness of the sky is impressive. The surrounding landscape has taken on a somber hue. Before the eclipse, the full moon looked flat and one-dimensional. During totality, however, it will look smaller and three-dimensional — almost translucent, like some weirdly illuminated ball suspended in space.

At this moment, the moon is shining directly overhead from a point in the Pacific Ocean, 1,565 miles (2,520 km) northwest of the Galapagos Islands.

This image of the middle of the total lunar eclipse of September 27,2015, shows the gradation of darkness and color across the disk of the moon. Note how much brighter the lower left limb of the moon (closest to the edge of the Earth's shadow) appears compared to the moon's upper right limb (closest to the center of the shadow). At this eclipse, the moon took a path through the southern part of the Earth's umbra. At the upcoming eclipse, the moon will take a path through the northern part of the umbra, so the brighter part of the moon will likely be over the upper limb while the lower limb should appear darker. (Image credit: Maria Rao)

8) Total eclipse ends

The emergence of the moon from the shadow begins. The first small segment of the moon begins to reappear, followed again for the next several minutes by the Japanese Lantern Effect.

As the moon begins to edge out of the Earth's dark shadow, it creates an effect which some have likened to a Japanese lantern. This image is from the total lunar eclipse of January 19-20, 2019. (Image credit: Maria Rao)

9) 75 percent coverage

Any vestiges of coloration within the umbra should be disappearing now. From here on, as the dark shadow methodically creeps off the moon's disk and it should appear black and featureless.

10) Moon leaves umbra

The dark central shadow clears the moon's right (western) limb.

11) Penumbral shadow fades away

As the last faint shading vanishes off the moon's right portion, the visual show comes to an end.

12) Moon leaves penumbra

The eclipse "officially" ends as the moon is completely free of the penumbral shadow.

Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, the Farmers' Almanac and other publications.

Editor's Note: If you snap a photo of the lunar eclipse and would like to share it with Space.com's readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.

7 fascinating facts about lunar eclipses

Joe Rao — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 16:00:00 +0000

On the night of March 13-14, a "blood moon" total lunar eclipse will be visible from North and South America, Western Europe, far Western Africa, and New Zealand.

To prepare for this stunning event, here are seven interesting facts about lunar eclipses.

For the latest lunar eclipse updates, check out our lunar eclipse live blog.

1. Total lunar eclipses have much wider paths of totality than total solar eclipses.

This century, there will be 85 total lunar eclipses. A given geographic location on Earth's surface will experience an average 40 to 45 total lunar eclipses, or about one every 2.3 years. In contrast, a specific location will witness a total solar eclipse once every 375 years, on average.

The reason for the large disparity is simple: To see a total solar eclipse, you must be fortuitously positioned along the path of the moon's dark shadow (the umbra), which might extend for many thousands of miles but cannot be any wider than 167 miles (269 kilometers) in diameter. In contrast, the region of visibility for a total lunar eclipse extends to more than half of Earth, allowing billions to partake in the lunar show.

2. More than a billion people will be in the viewing zone for the March 13-14 total lunar eclipse.

Map showing where in the world will see the total lunar eclipse on March 13-14. (Image credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio)

To determine the visibility of the total lunar eclipse on March 13-14, we took into account the populations of North and South America, 17 nations in western portions of Europe and Africa, New Zealand and eastern Siberia. From this, we have determined that potentially as many as 1.36 billion people will be able to see the moon become completely immersed in Earth's dark umbral shadow. We say "potentially" because the weather for some parts of the globe will be cloudy or unsettled, hence precluding a view of this shady celestial drama.

3. The temperature on the moon plummets during a total lunar eclipse.

When Earth's shadow sweeps across the lunar landscape, the temperature plummets. In fact, the resulting "thermal shock" may cause lunar rocks to crumble and gas to escape from within the moon. Normally, as the sun slowly sets from the moon's perspective, the drop in temperature is gradual. But if sunlight is shut off when the sun is high in the lunar sky, the drop is much more rapid — over a span of just 10 to 30 minutes.

During a total lunar eclipse in February 1971, temperatures were monitored at two Apollo landing sites. At the Apollo 12 site on the Ocean of Storms, the temperature dropped from 168.3 to minus 153 degrees Fahrenheit (75.7 to minus 102.8 degrees Celsius) — a change of 321.3 F (178.5 C). At the Apollo 14 Fra Mauro site, the temperature dropped from 154.1 to minus 153 F (67.8 to minus 102 C) — a change of 307.1 F (169.8 C).

4. The totality phase of a total lunar eclipse can't last longer than 107 minutes.

Timings of the total lunar eclipse March 13-14. (Image credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio)

The longest duration of totality for a lunar eclipse is 107 minutes. This can happen when the moon crosses through the middle of Earth's shadow, when the moon is at or very near apogee, the farthest point in its orbit from Earth. When the moon is near apogee, it is moving more slowly and needs more time to cross our planet's shadow.

The total lunar eclipse of July 16, 2000 — which was visible in the Pacific Ocean, eastern Asia and Australia — was one of the longest on record, lasting 106 minutes, 25 seconds. On Aug. 13, 1859, totality lasted three seconds longer. It will take thousands of years — until Aug. 19, 4753 — for there to be a longer total eclipse, which will last 106 minutes, 35 seconds, according to astronomer Jean Meeus.

As far as the shortest totality for a lunar eclipse, theoretically, it could last just an instant. In recent years, the shortest total lunar eclipse occurred on April 4, 2015, when the duration of totality was less than five minutes.

5. The term "blood moon" comes from a prophecy.

In recent years, the term "blood moon" has been used to describe a total lunar eclipse. The phrase comes from a book written by a pastor, who claimed that beginning in April 2014, a series of four consecutive lunar eclipses — all coinciding with Jewish holidays, with six full moons in between and no intervening partial lunar eclipses — was an omen of the end times. The eclipse series is called a lunar tetrad and is very variable with time.

For instance, Meeus points out that no tetrads occurred when Louis XIV was king of France, yet from 1909 to 2156, no fewer than 16 tetrads will have taken place. And during a 2,000-year interval, 25 of these began between March 16 and May 15, meaning there have been other periods in history when tetrads coincided with Jewish holidays, yet the world didn't end.

So the "blood moon prophecy" is nothing more than a fallacy and should be filed away with the nonsensical prediction that "Rapture" and judgment day were to take place on May 21, 2011.

6. A lunar eclipse saved Columbus.

A total lunar eclipse helped Columbus in 1504. (Image credit: mikroman6 via Getty Images)

On his fourth and final voyage to the New World, Christopher Columbus and his men were, for a time, marooned and hungry on the north coast of Jamaica. The Indigenous Arawak people were becoming tired of their demands.

But "The Almanach Perpetuum,"written by Abraham Ben Samuel Zacuto, came to Columbus' aid, predicting a lunar eclipse for Thursday, Feb. 29, 1504. Knowing this, three days earlier, Columbus warned the Indigenous people that he would take the moon away if they did not cooperate with his expedition.

He wrote:

“It began before sunset, so I could observe only the end of it, when the moon had just begun to return, and it must have been two and a half hours after sunset.”

When the Indigenous people implored him to bring back the moon, Columbus drew aside and pretended to pray. As the moon began to emerge from the Earth's shadow, they cheered and hurried away to bring food for the ill and starving men. Zacuto's work thus saved the admiral's life and that of his crew.

7. The next lunar eclipse will be the "opposite."

After this month's eclipse, the next total lunar eclipse will take place on Sept. 7. Think of it as the flip side of the lunar eclipse of March 2024. On this occasion, all the places in the Eastern Hemisphere that didn't get a view of the previous eclipse — central Africa and eastern Europe to eastern Asia, Japan, Indonesia and Australia — will be in perfect position for this event. Meanwhile, the Americas will see none of it because the moon will be below the horizon and it will be daytime during this eclipse.

On March 3, 2026, North Americans will get another opportunity to view a total eclipse. However, for observers in the Eastern time zone, the moon will set during the dawn's early light during the total phase. Places in the middle of the country will be able to catch the moon emerging from Earth's shadow as it sets, while for the Western part of the country, the eclipse will be visible from start to finish. Hawaiians will see the moon almost overhead as totality takes place in the hours after midnight.

On Aug. 27-28, 2026, an "almost" total lunar eclipse will occur. This eclipse favors much of North America, though far Western areas (including Hawaii) will see the moon rise already within Earth's dark umbral shadow. At mid-eclipse, 93% of the moon will be immersed in the umbra, leaving only the uppermost part of its disk in view.

The next time North America will see a total lunar eclipse with viewing circumstances comparable to this month's eclipse, it will be an event that will cross over from one year to the next — from Dec. 31, 2047, to Jan. 1, 2048. That entire event will be visible from coast to coast, with totality lasting 57 minutes.

Honorable mention

And finally, in January 1972, several dozen people were injured in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh when hundreds of troops across the city let off a fusillade of bullets at a total eclipse of the moon. The soldiers, both in the streets and at guard posts, fired their weapons, trying to prevent the moon from being eaten by a mythical monster frog called Reahou. According to an ancient Cambodian legend, the giant frog wants to eat the moon and must be stopped. I guess we can call this a ribbeting occurrence!

Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, the Farmers' Almanac and other publications.

Total lunar eclipse is just one week away: When and where to see the Blood Moon

daisy.dobrijevic@space.com (Daisy Dobrijevic) — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The wait is nearly over! In just one week, skywatchers across North America will witness a spectacular total lunar eclipse, also known as a Blood Moon.

This will be the first total lunar eclipse since November 2022 and the first of three set to occur between 2025 and 2026.

During a total lunar eclipse, Earth moves directly between the sun and the moon, blocking sunlight and casting a shadow over the lunar surface. As this happens, the moon takes on a reddish hue, earning it the name "Blood Moon." This effect occurs because Earth's atmosphere scatters shorter wavelengths of sunlight while allowing longer wavelengths — red and orange light — to bend into Earth's shadow and illuminate the moon. It's the same phenomenon that gives sunrises and sunsets their rich colors.

When and where to watch

The total lunar eclipse will unfold overnight between March 13 and March 14, 2025. Observers in North and South America will have the best view, while those in parts of Western Europe may catch a glimpse of totality before moonset.

Totality — the period when the moon is completely engulfed in Earth's shadow — will last for approximately 65 minutes. Key viewing times across different time zones include:

Eastern Time (ET): 2:26 a.m. — 3:31 a.m. (March 14)
Central Time (CT): 1:26 a.m. — 2:31 a.m. (March 14)
Mountain Time (MT): 12:26 a.m. — 1:31 a.m. (March 14)
Pacific Time (PT): 11:26 p.m. (March 13) — 12:31 a.m. (March 14)
Alaska Time (AKDT): 10:26 p.m. — 11:31 p.m. (March 13)
Hawaii Time (HST): 8:26 p.m. — 9:31 p.m. (March 13)

For the full experience, it's worth heading outside about 75 minutes before and after these times to see the moon gradually enter and exit Earth's shadow.

The moon moves right to left, passing through the penumbra and umbra, leaving an eclipse in its wake. This diagram shows the times (in EDT) at various stages of the eclipse. (Image credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio)

How to see the eclipse

Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely safe to observe with the naked eye. No special equipment is needed, but using binoculars or a telescope can enhance the experience, revealing intricate details on the moon's surface. The best way to watch is from a location away from city lights with an unobstructed view of the sky.

If you want to learn more about capturing a great photo of a lunar eclipse, our guide on how to photograph a lunar eclipse may be of use. If you're looking for a telescope or binoculars to observe the lunar eclipse, our guides for the best binoculars deals and the best telescope deals are here to help. Our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography can also help you prepare to capture the total lunar eclipse in all its glory.

With just one week to go, now is the perfect time to plan your viewing spot, check the weather forecast, and get ready for an unforgettable night under the stars. Don't forget to capture the moment—whether through photography or simply sitting back and enjoying the spectacle unfold before your eyes.

Editor's Note: If you snap a photo of the total lunar eclipse and would like to share it with Space.com's readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.

Where will the 'Blood Worm Moon' total lunar eclipse be visible tonight?

Jamie Carter — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 11:00:10 +0000

The first total lunar eclipse since 2022 is set to grace the night sky tomorrow (March 13-14, 2025) — but only for those on Earth's night side. During this celestial event, the moon will slip into Earth's shadow for 65 minutes, taking on a deep reddish hue in what’s often called a "blood moon."

While the eclipse will be visible worldwide at the same universal time, the best views will be in North and South America. Observers in parts of Europe may catch a glimpse at moonset, while those in East Asia will see it as the moon rises. The point of greatest eclipse falls over the Pacific Ocean, making it an unforgettable sight for skywatchers across the Americas.

You can watch the lunar eclipse online here on Space.com and catch up with the latest lunar eclipse news and events with our lunar eclipse live blog.

Unlike during a solar eclipse, it is safe to look at the moon during the entire lunar eclipse. They're not only completely safe but also leisurely, lasting many hours. This one occurs between 11:57 p.m. and 6 a.m. EDT (03:57 and 10:00 UTC) — a total of six hours — though arguably the most interesting part, totality, happens between 2:26 and 03:31 a.m. EDT (06:26 and 07:31 UTC).

Where will the March 2025 total lunar eclipse be visible?

A map showing where the March 13-14, 2025, lunar eclipse will be visible. (Image credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio)

The total lunar eclipse on March 13-14, 2025, will last just over six hours, beginning with a penumbral eclipse — when the moon enters Earth's fuzzy outer shadow and loses brightness — from 11:57 p.m. to 1:09 a.m. EDT (03:57 to 05:09 UTC). There will then be a partial phase — when the moon begins to enter Earth's darker umbral shadow and starts to turn red — from 1:09 a.m. to 2:26 a.m. (05:09 to 06:26 UTC). Totality — when the whole moon is within Earth's umbra — will last 65 minutes, from 2:26 a.m. to 3:31 a.m. EDT (06:26 to 07:31 UTC). The spectacle then reverses, with totality followed by a partial phase from 3:31 to 4:47 a.m. (07:31 to 08:47 UTC) and a penumbral phase from 4:47 to 6 a.m. EDT (08:47 to 10:00 UTC).

The entire eclipse will be visible — and at its best — across most of the Americas, with glimpses for Europe, Africa and East Asia. Here's a breakdown of the eclipse's visibility by region:

North America: All phases of the eclipse will be visible across all 50 U.S. states (including Alaska and Hawaii), Canada and Mexico.
South America: Most of the continent will witness the entire event, with totality visible from Brazil, Argentina and Chile starting after midnight on March 14.
Europe: Western Europe — including Spain, France and the U.K. — will see totality as the moon sets early on the morning of March 14.
Africa: Extreme Western Africa — including Cape Verde, Morocco and Senegal — will see totality as the moon sets early on the morning of March 14.
Oceania: New Zealanders will see the eclipse in its later stages, with the moon already in partial shadow as it rises on March 14.

Where will the total lunar eclipse be visible in the U.S.?

All U.S. time zones will get an excellent view of all phases of this total lunar eclipse, with Hawaii and parts of Alaska missing only the beginning of the initial penumbral phase. Here are the key times for major North American time zones:

Eastern time zone: The penumbral phase begins at 11:57 p.m. EDT on March 13, partial at 1:09 a.m. EDT on March 14, totality at 2:26 a.m. EDT, partial at 3:31 a.m. EDT and penumbral at 4:47 a.m. EDT. The eclipse ends at 6 a.m. EDT.
Central time zone: The penumbral phase begins at 10:57 p.m. CDT on March 13, partial at 12:09 a.m. CDT on March 14, totality at 1:26 a.m. CDT, partial at 2:31 a.m. CDT and penumbral at 3:47 a.m. CDT. The eclipse ends at 5 a.m. CDT.
Mountain time zone: The penumbral phase begins at 9:57 p.m. MDT on March 13, partial at 11:09 p.m. MDT, totality at 12:26 a.m. MDT on March 14, partial at 1:31 a.m. MDT and penumbral at 2:47 a.m. MDT. The eclipse ends at 4 a.m. MDT.
Pacific time zone: The penumbral phase begins at 8:57 p.m. PDT on March 13, partial at 10:09 p.m. PDT, totality at 11:26 p.m. PDT, partial at 12:31 a.m. PDT on March 14 and penumbral at 1:47 a.m. PDT. The eclipse ends at 3 a.m. PDT.
Alaska time zone: The penumbral phase begins at 7:57 p.m. AKDT on March 13, partial at 9:09 p.m. AKDT, totality at 10:26 p.m. AKDT, partial at 11:31 p.m. EDT and penumbral at 12:47 a.m. AKDT on March 14. The eclipse ends at 2 a.m. AKDT.
Hawaii time zone: The penumbral phase is already underway when the moon rises at 6:32 p.m. HST on March 13, partial at 7:09 p.m. HST, totality at 8:26 p.m. HST, partial at 9:31 p.m. HST and penumbral at 10:47 p.m. HST. The eclipse ends at midnight HST.

Where will the March 2025 total lunar eclipse be visible in Europe?

The visibility of the total lunar eclipse on March 14, 2025, in Europe. (Image credit: Created and annotated by Jamie Carter using MapHub.net. Sources: Esri, Maxar, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN and the GIS user community. Eclipse path by Xavier Jubier)

Europe gets a poor view of this total lunar eclipse. In London, the penumbral phase will be viewable from 3:47 a.m. GMT on March 14 and the partial phase from 5:09 a.m. GMT. However, the full moon will set at 6:22 a.m. GMT, just before totality begins, so the only spectacle will be a barely distinguishable line of Earth's shadow across the moon as it sinks into the western horizon. Locations farther west get a slightly better view. From Cardiff, Wales, totality will begin at 6:26 a.m. GMT, 10 minutes before the local moonset, while in Dublin, the local moonset isn't until 6:48 a.m. GMT.

Arguably, the only locations in Europe to see this eclipse in an impressive way are Iceland and Greenland. From Reykjavik, Iceland, totality occurs between 06:26 and 7:31 a.m. GMT, and the local moonset isn't until 7:58 a.m.

What will the weather be like for the March 2025 total lunar eclipse?

Average nighttime March cloud amount in percent, 2022-2021. (Image credit: Jay Anderson at eclipsophile.com)

For those on the night side of Earth, a clear sky is arguably the only important factor for visibility, since any location with the moon high in the sky will have precisely the same view. In the map above, blue areas have the smallest chance of clouds. Those locations include Southern California, Arizona and New Mexico; much of Mexico; Chile's Atacama Desert and western Argentina; and extreme Western Africa.

In North America, western parts of the U.S. and Canada typically have better chances of clear skies in March compared with eastern regions. In Europe, cloud cover is hard to predict in March.

Bibliography

Anderson, J. Global Cloudiness by Month. Retrieved Feb. 17, 2025, from https://eclipsophile.com/global-cloud Jubier, X. (n.d.). Total Lunar Eclipse of 2025 March 14 from Chile, Argentina, the USA, or Mexico. Retrieved Feb. 17, 2025, from http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/lunar_eclipses/TLE_20250314_pg01.html

Time and Date. (n.d.). 13–14 March 2025 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon). Retrieved Feb. 17, 2025, from https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2025-march-14

Wright, E and NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio. March 13-14, 2025 Total Lunar Eclipse: Visibility Map. Retrieved Feb. 17, 2025, from https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/5473/

Total lunar eclipse March 2026: Live updates

daisy.dobrijevic@space.com (Daisy Dobrijevic) — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:28:02 +0000

The next lunar eclipse will be a total lunar eclipse on March 2-4, 2026. It is the first lunar eclipse of the year.

It will be visible in North America and will be the last total lunar eclipse anywhere on Earth until New Year's Eve 2028-2029.

During a total lunar eclipse, the moon will appear to take on a red hue, giving rise to the "Blood Moon".

Watch online | How to photograph a lunar eclipse

One month to go: Are you ready for the total lunar eclipse?

With just one month to go until the total lunar eclipse, here's everything you need to know to make sure you are 'Blood Moon' ready.

During a total lunar eclipse the moon will turn blood red. (Image credit: CreativeSource via Getty Images)

Where to see the blood moon total lunar eclipse

During the total lunar eclipse on March 13-14, 2025, the lunar surface will turn red for 65 minutes. (Image credit: HAGENS WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY via Getty Images)

On March 13-14, 2025, a total lunar eclipse will be visible across Earth's night side.

Although the point of greatest eclipse will be in the Pacific Ocean, North America and South America will get the best views. Some areas of Europe will get a slight view of the moonset, and East Asia will glimpse the spectacle at moonrise.

What will happen during the total lunar eclipse of March 2025?

Observers across most of the United States will have front-row seats to the spectacular total lunar eclipse overnight on March 13-14. (Image credit: HASSAN AMMAR/AFP via Getty Images)

Observers across most of the United States will have front-row seats to the spectacular total lunar eclipse overnight on March 13-14.

The duration of totality will be longer than normal, lasting 1 hour and 6 minutes.

This week's 'blood moon' eclipse mirrors one Christopher Columbus used to scare indigenous people in 1504

This week's 'blood moon' eclipse mirrors one Christopher Columbus used to scare indigenous people in 1504. (Image credit: Created in Canva by Daisy Dobrijevic furnished with Columbus image (credit: mikroman6 / Getty Images))

On March 13-14, 2025, skywatchers in the Americas will witness a total lunar eclipse that mirrors one Christopher Columbus is said to have used to his advantage over five centuries ago.

In 1504, Christopher Columbus, on his fourth trans-Atlantic voyage, was stranded on the shores of Jamaica, with his ships crawling with marine worms and his crew hungry. The Indigenous Arawak people, who had initially welcomed the Europeans, had grown weary of their demands.

But Columbus had a trick up his sleeve: According to The Guardian, he consulted his astronomical tables and saw that a total lunar eclipse was imminent on March 1, 1504.

How do solar-powered moon probes survive a total lunar eclipse?

(Image credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab)

When the moon falls into Earth's shadow Thursday night into Friday (March 13-14), observers will be treated to views of a "blood moon" total lunar eclipse. But given that lunar spacecraft are solar-powered, how do they survive when they're cut off from the sun?

For NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), which has been orbiting the moon since 2009, it will be time to batten down the hatches.

Continue reading: There's a total lunar eclipse coming. How will these 2 solar-powered moon probes survive the darkness?

Why does the moon turn red during a total lunar eclipse?

(Image credit: HAGENS WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY via Getty Images)

A total lunar eclipse happens when a full moon moves through Earth's umbra, its dark shadow in space. As it does so, something spectacular happens: The entire moon turns reddish — an event that's often called a "blood moon."

Patient observers can watch this process happening as the gray full moon gradually turns red; displays ever-changing reddish, pinkish and orange hues for a short period; and then slowly returns to normal as it exits Earth's shadow.

But what are the physics behind this stunning event? Here's why the moon turns red during a total lunar eclipse.

What do lunar eclipses teach us about Earth?

(Image credit: Created in Canva Pro by Daisy Dobrijevic)

It may look spooky, but a blood moon is just a trick of the light

(Image credit: Amy Van Artsdalen)

A "blood moon" happens when Earth's moon is in a total lunar eclipse. While it has no special astronomical significance, the view in the sky is striking as the usually whitish moon becomes red or ruddy brown.

Read more: What is a blood moon?

Make sure you're in the right place at the right time tonight!

(Image credit: Created in Canva by Daisy Dobrijevic)

A dramatic total lunar eclipse will turn the moon blood red for millions across North America TONIGHT! Here are the best times to watch the show unfold.

'Blood Worm Moon' US weather forecast: Best places to see tonight's total lunar eclipse

(Image credit: KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images)

The total lunar eclipse of March 2025 has begun!

The moon has started moving into Earth's penumbra, the faint outer part of its shadow. This shadow is so subtle that it remains invisible until the moon is deeply immersed, so we'll have to wait about 50 minutes to notice any change.

The penumbral shadow is beginning to appear!

Now the moon has progressed far enough into the penumbra that it should be visible on the moon's disk. Start looking for a very subtle light shading to appear on the moon's left portion. This will become increasingly evident as the minutes pass, the shading appearing to spread and deepen.

The moon begins to enter Earth's dark central shadow

(Image credit: Timeanddate)

The moon is now entering the umbra, Earth's dark central shadow. You'll see a dark scallop beginning to appear on the moon's lower lefthand (southeastern) limb. The partial phase of the eclipse is now underway -- Daisy Dobrijevic

Our eyes on the ground spy a lunar eclipse!

(Image credit: Josh Dury)

Landscape astrophotographer Josh Dury is in Scotland on the hunt for a total lunar eclipse! Dury is already getting some beautiful views of the lunar eclipse as Earth's shadow begins to move across the lunar surface. What a view! -- Daisy Dobrijevic

Into the darkness...

(Image credit: Timeanddate)

The moon is now deep into the partial phase of the total lunar eclipse, growing progressively darker as we watch. Totality begins at 2:26 a.m. EDT (0626 GMT).

Earth's shadow is now eclipsing about 75% of the moon's surface

(Image credit: Timeanddate)

With the eclipse in full swing, take a look at the shadowed portion of the moon — it should start to faintly glow. This reveals that the umbral shadow isn't complete darkness after all. -- Daisy Dobrijevic

Totality is just a few minutes away!

(Image credit: Timeanddate)

The very last portion of the moon is now entering the umbra, Earth's darkest shadow. This period of the eclipse will last approximately 65 minutes, so you have ample time to soak in the dramatic view of the "Blood Worm Moon".

Totality has begun!

(Image credit: Timeanddate)

The "Blood Moon" total phase of the lunar eclipse will last approximately 65 minutes — so sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!

The moon is turning a deep red

(Image credit: YURI CORTEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Wow! The moon is turning a deep rusty red color. We can see it clearly here in this photo captured from Mexico City by Yuri Cortez.

Maximum eclipse is underway

(Image credit: Timeanddate)

We are now in the middle of totality, with the moon shining anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 times fainter than it was just a couple of hours ago. Observers may notice a greater number of stars in the sky than were visible earlier on that night. -- Daisy Dobrijevic

End of totality

(Image credit: Timeanddate)

The moon has begun emerging from Earth's shadow and will continue to do so until 6 a.m. EDT (1000 GMT), marking the end of the total lunar eclipse. We'll keep bringing you stunning views and a roundup featuring some of the best eclipse photos. Stay tuned!

Moon starts to shine once more

(Image credit: Timeanddate)

The moon is starting to move out of Earth's dark inner shadow and starting to brighten again.

It's photo time! Check out the best photos from the "Blood Worm Moon" total lunar eclipse

Sequence of the total lunar eclipse over Castle Stalker, Appin, Scotland. (Image credit: Josh Dury)

When is the next total lunar eclipse?

(Image credit: Fred Espenak/NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center)

Good news eclipse chasers! You don't have to wait too long to see another total lunar eclipse.

The next total lunar eclipse will occur overnight on Sept. 7-8 and be visible over Europe, Africa, eastern Australia and New Zealand.

Read more about where and when to see the next "blood moon" with our comprehensive total lunar eclipse September 2025 guide.

One month to go until the total lunar eclipse!

(Image credit: abhisheklegit via Getty Images)

In just one month, a dramatic "blood moon" will take to the sky.

Less than one week to go until the blood moon transforms September's sky

A blood moon will take to the sky on Sept. 7, 2025. (Image credit: Chen Shaojin/VCG via Getty Images)

Get ready stargazers!

In just one week, Earth's shadow will roll across the lunar surface, giving rise to a spectacular 'blood moon' total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7-8.

We're ready, are you?

How does Earth's atmosphere turn the moon red during a lunar eclipse?

Various phases of a total lunar eclipse, blood moon, (Image credit: Westend61 via Getty Images)

Ever wondered why the moon takes on a rusty hue during totality?

Check out our guide detailing the science behind a total lunar eclipse to discover how a quirk of Earth's atmosphere turns the lunar surface blood red as it slips into the deepest part of Earth's shadow, known as the umbra.

Who will see the September 2025 blood moon eclipse?

The September 2025 total lunar eclipse will bring a blood-red moon to skies across Asia, Australia, Africa and Europe — if you know where to look. (Image credit: WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)

The Sept. 7-8 blood moon total lunar eclipse is just a few days away, but your ability to witness it will depend entirely on your location!

Check out our article detailing from where the blood moon is visible to see if you'll have a clear view of totality, or any of the other myriad phases of the September 2025 total lunar eclipse.

When to look for the Sept. 7-8 total lunar eclipse

A total lunar eclipse will turn the moon blood red for millions across Asia and Europe overnight on Sept. 7-8. (Image credit: Created in Canva Pro by Daisy Dobrijevic)

We're just a couple of days out from the September 2025 total lunar eclipse! Be sure to read our article listing the key viewing times for totality to ensure that you see the moon adopt a rusty hue as it slips deep into Earth's umbral shadow.

Watch the Sept. 7 blood moon total lunar eclipse online with these free livestreams

The moon during a total lunar eclipse on March 13, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Image credit: Photo by Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images)

If you can't make it outside at eclipse time or if you live outside of the eclipse's viewing area, you can still watch the spectacle of the total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7 thanks to free online livestreams.

Asia, Australia, Africa and Europe will get views of the eclipse, but the Americas will not. Luckily, the Virtual Telescope Project in Manciano, Italy will stream the eclipse beginning at 1:45 p.m. EDT (17:45 GMT) on Sept. 7.

Time and Date will also provide a total lunar eclipse livestream hosted by journalist Anne Buckle and Graham Jones, starting at 12 p.m. EDT (1600 GMT) on Sept. 7.

Stages of the Sept. 7 blood moon total lunar eclipse explained

A composite picture showing the different stages of a total lunar eclipse. (Image credit: LUIS ACOSTA/AFP via Getty Images)

The moon experiences several distinct phases during lunar eclipses.

Every phase of the Sept. 7-8 total lunar eclipse will be visible across much of Asia, western Australia and eastern Europe, but other locations such as Spain and Norway will witness only a partial eclipse.

Want to know what to expect during each phase? Check out our guide on the phases of the total lunar eclipse happening Sunday (Sept. 7).

And if you live outside of the viewing area, you can still watch the total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7 with these free livestreams.

Tonight's the night for the September 2025 blood moon total lunar eclipse!

The second total lunar eclipse of 2025 is set to bathe the moon in a rusty-re hue. (Image credit: WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)

Earth's shadow will roll across the lunar surface in just a few hours time, triggering a spectacular total lunar eclipse that can be viewed with the naked eye without the need for protective glasses.

Stick with our live eclipse blog to follow along with each phase of the Sept. 7-8 blood moon as they occur and don't forget that free live streams of the total lunar eclipse are available online for those who aren't able to witness the event in person!

The total lunar eclipse of September 2025 has begun!

A stunning image of a total lunar eclipse (Image credit: NASA)

The moon has started to enter Earth's penumbra, the faint outer part of its shadow. This shading is usually very subtle, so changes won't become noticeable for about 50 minutes

Maximum eclipse is underway

This is the deepest point of totality. The moon may glow anywhere from rusty orange to deep red, and the surrounding night sky should appear noticeably darker, revealing more stars.

The blood moon at full eclipse from Dubai (Image credit: timeanddate)

Totality has begun!

The moon is now fully immersed in Earth's umbra, kicking off 1 hour and 22 minutes of totality. Watch as it shifts from bright white to coppery red, depending on Earth's atmospheric conditions.

Totality begins on Sept.7 as seen from Ayia Napa Cyprus (Image credit: Timeanddate)

Meanwhile in Barcelona...

Space.com's own Daisy Dobrijevic is awaiting the lunar eclipse in Barcelona with a horde of skywatchers.

"I’m not sure the clouds will be on our side tonight but spirits are
high as everyone in Barcelona waits for the moon to rise above the
beautiful Balearic Sea," she said.

(Image credit: Daisy Dobrijevic)

End of totality

The moon is beginning to emerge from Earth's umbra. A sliver of bright white sunlight is reappearing, ending the red glow.

The moon leaves totality (Image credit: timeanddate)

Eclipse comes through for skywatchers in Barcelona

Clouds be damned! Space.com's own Daisy Dobrijevic finally caught a glimpse of the eclipse over the Balearic Sea in Barcelona, and it was worth the wait.

The Sept. 7 lunar eclipse as seen over Barcelona (Image credit: Daisy Dobrijevic)

Wow, what a show!

Check out the first views of the stunning total lunar eclipse as it transforms September's sky for over 7 billion people worldwide.

The 'Blood Moon' is seen behind a street during a total lunar eclipse in Kolkata, India, on September 7, 2025 (Image credit: Debajyoti Chakraborty/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

See breathtaking photos of the September 2025 blood moon total lunar eclipse

The eclipsed moon captured in the skies over Switzerland. (Image credit: Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)

Last night's total lunar eclipse put on an unforgettable show, dazzling stargazers with a spectacular display of orbital mechanics that briefly turned the moon blood red as Earth's shadow swept across the lunar disk.

Check out our roundup of the best photos of the September 2025 total lunar eclipse as seen by photographers across the globe!

Ready for another blood moon? There isn't too long to wait...

Phases of a total lunar eclipse. (Image credit: Alan Dyer/Stocktrek Images/Getty Images)

The next total lunar eclipse to grace our skies will occur on March 2-4, 2026.

The March 2-4, 2026, event will be the first total lunar eclipse anywhere in the world since Sept. 7-8, 2025, and the last until Dec. 31, 2028, to Jan. 1, 2029, when a total lunar eclipse will occur on New Year's Eve.

Total lunar eclipse brings a Blood Moon to North America next month. Here's how to see it

daisy.dobrijevic@space.com (Daisy Dobrijevic) — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000

In just one month, skywatchers across North America will be treated to a stunning total lunar eclipse.

The lunar eclipse will happen overnight between March 13 and March 14, 2025, and will be the first total lunar eclipse visible anywhere in the world since November 2022. It will also be the first of three happening between 2025 and 2026.

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth moves directly between the sun and the full moon, casting its shadow across the lunar surface. During totality — the peak phase of the eclipse — the moon will turn a deep reddish-orange hue, earning it the nickname "Blood Moon." This effect happens because Earth's atmosphere scatters shorter wavelengths of light from the sun while allowing longer wavelengths of red and orange hues to be refracted into Earth's umbra (the darkest part of Earth's shadow). When these longer wavelengths strike the moon, they can make it appear red, similar to how the sky appears red during sunrise and sunset.

Where and when to see the lunar eclipse?

During a lunar eclipse, the sun, Earth and moon align so that Earth blocks sunlight from reaching the moon and casts a shadow across the lunar surface. Whether the moon sits in the penumbra or umbra will dictate the type of lunar eclipse. During a total lunar eclipse, the umbra completely covers the lunar surface. In this diagram, the moon is located in the penumbral shadow so it is experiencing a penumbral eclipse. (Image credit: Future)

North and South America will have the best views of this eclipse, with the event unfolding overnight from March 13 to March 14. Parts of Western Europe will also glimpse totality just before the moon sets.

Totality will last for an impressive 65 minutes, offering plenty of time to take in the breathtaking sight. The key times for totality across North America are:

Eastern Time (ET): 2:26 a.m. — 3:31 a.m. (March 14)
Central Time (CT): 1:26 a.m. — 2:31 a.m. (March 14)
Mountain Time (MT): 12:26 a.m. — 1:31 a.m. (March 14)
Pacific Time (PT): 11:26 p.m. (March 13) — 12:31 a.m. (March 14)
Alaska Time (AKDT): 10:26 p.m. — 11:31 p.m. (March 13)
Hawaii Time (HST): 8:26 p.m. — 9:31 p.m. (March 13)

It's also worth looking up about 75 minutes before and after these times to witness the partial eclipse phases, as Earth's shadow gradually moves across and then away from the moon's surface.

Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely safe to view with the naked eye. No special equipment is needed, but binoculars or a telescope will enhance the experience by revealing details on the moon's surface as it changes color. The key to a great view is a dark location away from city lights and clear skies.

Roll your cursor over the numbers below to learn about the different stages of a total lunar eclipse.

Looking ahead

If you miss this eclipse, don't worry — there will be another total lunar eclipse overnight between Sept. 7 Sept. 8, visible across Europe, Asia and parts of the Americas. Then, from March 2 to March 3, 2026, another Blood Moon will be visible from much of the world, including North America.

With one month to go, now is the perfect time to plan your eclipse-watching experience. Mark your calendar, check the weather forecast, and get ready for an unforgettable night under the stars!

If you're specifically looking for a telescope to view the moon, our best telescopes for deep space guide may help. We also have a guide to astrophotography for beginners which covers everything from equipment to shooting modes and more. Our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography can also help you prepare to capture your next skywatching sight.

Editor's Note: If you get a great photo of the total lunar eclipse and would like to share it with Space.com’s readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.

Total lunar eclipse 2025: Everything you need to know about today's blood moon

Jamie Carter — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 17:00:00 +0000

A total lunar eclipse will be visible on the night of Sept. 7-8, 2025.

Asia and Western Australia will be in the prime positions, offering views of the entire total lunar eclipse. Glimpses of some phases will also be possible from Europe, Africa, eastern Australia and New Zealand. This event will not be observable from the Americas.

Lunar eclipses happen when Earth is between the sun and a full moon. During the event, the moon moves through Earth's umbra, the dark center of its shadow.

Where is the September 2025 total lunar eclipse?

The best views of the September 2025 total lunar eclipse will be in Asia and western Australia. According to Time and Date, a whopping 77% of the world's population — about 6.2 billion people — will be able to see all of totality. For comparison, about a billion people were in the path of totality for the total lunar eclipse on March 29, 2025.

What will happen during the total lunar eclipse?

During the September 2025 total lunar eclipse — the second total lunar eclipse of 2025 and the second of three in 2025 and 2026 — the full "Harvest Moon" will rise and, later that night, drift into Earth's dark umbral shadow. As it does, the full moon will lose its brightness and gradually turn reddish-orange. When 100% of the lunar surface is draped in orange-red light, the all-important totality will last 82 minutes, making it a very long-duration total lunar eclipse.

This total lunar eclipse will occur 2.7 days before the moon reaches perigee — its closest point to Earth on its slightly elliptical orbit — making it slightly larger than average. It's a relatively deep total eclipse, with 36% of the moon's diameter inside Earth's umbral shadow. This should make for a dark eclipse, during which the moon will turn a distinctly reddish color.

When and where is the September 2025 total lunar eclipse?

The global path of the total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7, 2025. (Image credit: F. Espenak, NASA's GSFC)

Lunar eclipses are global events that occur at the same time for everyone. This one will happen between 15:28 and 20:55 UTC on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, with the spectacular 82-minute-long totality — when all of the lunar surface will be reddish — happening between 17:30 and 18:52 UTC. Here are the local times for totality in some key locations on the night side of Earth during the eclipse:

Bangkok: 12:30 to 1:52 a.m. ICT on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025
Beijing: 1:30 to 2:52 a.m. CST on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025
Hong Kong: 1:30 to 2:52 a.m. HKT on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025
Perth, Australia: 1:30 to 2:52 a.m. AWST on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025
Tokyo: 2:30 to 3:52 a.m. JST on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025
Sydney: 3:30 to 4:52 a.m. AEST on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025
Mumbai, India: 11:00 p.m. IST on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025 to 12:22 a.m. IST on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025
Tehran, Iran: 9:00 to 10:22 p.m. IRST on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025
Cairo: 8:30 to 9:52 p.m. EEST on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025
Istanbul: 8:30 to 9:52 p.m. EEST on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025
Nairobi, Kenya: 8:30 to 9:52 p.m. EAT on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025
Cape Town, South Africa: 7:30 to 8:52 p.m. SAST on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025

These are the times for totality only. It's worth looking at the moon 75 minutes before these times to see the edge of Earth's shadow inch across the lunar surface during the partial phases (and vice versa after totality).

September 2025 total lunar eclipse viewing times in Europe

From Europe, the moon will rise in the east while totally eclipsed, though the farther east the location, the longer it will be visible. Here's when moonrise and totality begin for select locations in Europe:

Berlin: Moonrise at 7:37 p.m. CEST Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025; totality from 7:30 to 8:52 p.m. CEST
Vienna: Moonrise at 7:20 p.m. CEST on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025; totality from 7:30 to 8:52 p.m. CEST
Budapest, Hungary: Moonrise at 7:08 p.m. CEST on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025; totality from 7:30 to 8:52 p.m. CEST
Paris: Moonrise at 8:17 p.m. CEST on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025; totality from 7:30 to 8:52 p.m. CEST
Madrid: Moonrise at 8:34 p.m. CEST on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025; totality from 7:30 to 8:52 p.m. CEST
London: Moonrise at 7:30 p.m. BST on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025; totality from 6:30 to 7:52 p.m. BST

How to watch the total lunar eclipse free online

If you live outside of the viewing area or can't make it outside to view the eclipse live, luckily you can watch the blood moon total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7 with these free livestreams.

The Virtual Telescope Project in Manciano, Italy will stream the eclipse beginning at 1:45 p.m. EDT (17:45 GMT) on Sept. 7.

Time and Date will also provide a total lunar eclipse livestream hosted by journalists Anne Buckle and Graham Jones, starting at 12 p.m. EDT (1600 GMT) on Sept. 7.

After September 2025, when is the next total lunar eclipse?

The next total lunar eclipse will occur on March 2-3, 2026, and will be visible from Eastern Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, South America, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Arctic and Antarctica

In addition, on Aug. 27-28, 2026, there will be a near-total lunar eclipse, during which Earth's shadow will cover 93% of the lunar surface. This partial lunar eclipse will be visible from Europe, Western Asia, Africa, North America, South America, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and Antarctica.

Additional resources

Want to look further ahead? You can find a concise summary of lunar eclipses out to 2030 on NASA's lunar eclipse website. Read more about solar and lunar eclipses on EclipseWise.com, a website dedicated to eclipse predictions. You can find climate and weather predictions by meteorologist Jay Anderson on eclipsophile.com.

Bibliography

Jubier, X. (n.d.). Lunar eclipses: Interactive Google Maps. Retrieved Nov. 24, 2024, from http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/Lunar_Eclipses.html
Time and Date. (n.d.). Eclipse Central. Retrieved Nov. 24, 2024, from
https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/
Cameron Smith, I. Total Lunar Eclipse of Sept. 7, 2025 AD. Retrieved Nov. 24, 2024, from https://moonblink.info/Eclipse/eclipse/2025_09_07

Total lunar eclipse March 2025 — When and where to see the next 'Blood Moon' lunar eclipse

Jamie Carter — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 19:40:16 +0000

On the night of March 13-14, 2025, a total lunar eclipse will be visible from Earth, and North America will be in the prime position for the spectacular event, which will also feature a "Blood Moon."

Lunar eclipses happen when Earth is between the sun and a full moon. During the event, the moon moves through Earth's umbra, the dark center of its shadow.

Catch up with the latest lunar eclipse news and events with our lunar eclipse live blog.

Where will the March 13-14, 2025, total lunar eclipse be visible?

The best views will be for those in North and South America. According to Time and Date, only 13% of the world's population — just over a billion people — will be in the path of the total lunar eclipse, which will be visible only under clear skies.

A map of the total lunar eclipse on March 13-14, 2025. (Image credit: F. Espenak, NASA's GSFC)

What will happen during the total lunar eclipse?

The March 13-14, 2025, event will be the first total lunar eclipse anywhere in the world since November 2022 and the first of three in 2025 and 2026. During the March 2025 total lunar eclipse, the full "Worm Moon" will rise and, later that night, drift into Earth's umbral shadow. As it does, the full moon will dim and gradually turn reddish-orange. The all-important totality — when 100% of the lunar surface is draped in orange-red light — will last 65 minutes.

This total lunar eclipse will occur three days before the moon reaches apogee — its farthest point from Earth on its slightly elliptical orbit — making it appear slightly smaller than average.

What time is the March 2025 total lunar eclipse in North America?

Lunar eclipses are global events that occur at the same time for everyone. This one will happen between 03:57 and 10:00 UTC on Friday, March 14, 2025, with the spectacular 65-minute-long totality — when the entire lunar surface will be reddish — happening between 06:26 and 07:31 UTC. That translates to the following local times in North America:

2:26 to 3:31 a.m. EDT on Friday, March 14, 2025
1:26 to 2:31 a.m. CDT on Friday, March 14, 2025
12:26 to 1:31 a.m. MDT on Friday, March 14, 2025
11:26 p.m. PDT on Thursday, March 13, 2025, to 12:31 a.m. on Friday, March 14, 2025
10:26 p.m. to 11:31 p.m. AKDT on Thursday, March 13, 2025
8:26 p.m. to 9:31 p.m. HST on Thursday, March 13, 2025

These are the times for totality only. However, it's worth looking at the moon 75 minutes before these times to see the edge of Earth's shadow inch across the lunar surface during the partial phases (and vice versa after totality).

What time is the March 2025 total lunar eclipse in Europe?

In Europe, only those in Ireland, Portugal, the western regions of the U.K., western and central Spain, and northwestern France will see anything of totality. However, a partial lunar eclipse will be visible from other parts of Western Europe, as well as from Central Europe, just before the moon sets.

From far Western Europe, the partial lunar eclipse phase preceding totality will be most of the main event. The moon will be gradually covered by Earth's shadow for over 75 minutes, with the moon becoming totally eclipsed just a few minutes before the moon sets in the west on Friday, March 14. Here's when totality begins from time zones in Europe:

6:26 a.m. GMT on Friday, March 14, 2025 (just before sunrise)
7:26 a.m. CET on Friday, March 14, 2025 (just before sunrise)

After March 2025, when is the next total lunar eclipse?

Here are the dates and locations for the next total lunar eclipses:

Sept. 7-8, 2025: Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, western North America, eastern South America, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic and Antarctica.
March 2-3, 2026: Eastern Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, South America, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic and Antarctica.

There will also be a near-total lunar eclipse on Aug. 27-28, 2026, during which Earth's shadow will cover 93% of the lunar surface. That partial lunar eclipse will be visible from parts of Europe, western Asia, Africa, North America, South America, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and Antarctica.

Additional resources

Bibliography

Jubier, X. (n.d.). Lunar eclipses: Interactive Google Maps. Retrieved Nov. 24, 2024, from http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/Lunar_Eclipses.html
Time and Date. (n.d.). Eclipse Central. Retrieved Nov. 24, 2024, from
https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/
Cameron Smith, I. Total Lunar Eclipse of Mar. 14, 2025 AD. Retrieved Nov. 24, 2024, from https://moonblink.info/Eclipse/eclipse/2025_03_14

Don't miss the Harvest Moon Supermoon lunar eclipse tonight! Here's what to expect

daisy.dobrijevic@space.com (Daisy Dobrijevic) — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 10:00:45 +0000

Editor's note: The Harvest Moon Supermoon delighted skywatchers worldwide on Sept. 17. You can read our wrap story here and marvel at some of the incredible photos that captured the lunar scene last night.

On the evening of Sept. 17, a partial lunar eclipse will turn the moon a murky red-brown color when Earth's shadow descends upon the lunar surface.

The partial lunar eclipse will be visible from most of North America, all of South America, Europe, all but the easternmost parts of Africa, western portions of Asia and Russia, and parts of Antarctica.

The exact timing of the partial lunar eclipse depends on your location and you can use websites like Timeanddate.com to find specific timings based on your location. For those in the U.S. Eastern Time Zone, the eclipse will reach its darkest phase, with the moon most obscured by Earth's umbra, at approximately 10:44 p.m. EDT on Sept. 17. In Europe and Africa, the eclipse will occur during the early morning hours of Sept. 18. In London, the peak of the eclipse will be visible around 3:44 a.m. BST on September 18.

If you are unable to watch the lunar eclipse in person you can watch all the action unfold online here on Space.com. We have rounded up several lunar eclipse livestreams that are showing the Super Harvest Moon on Sept. 17.

What causes a lunar eclipse?

During a lunar eclipse the sun, Earth and moon align so that Earth blocks sunlight from reaching the moon and casts a shadow across the lunar surface. Whether the moon sits in the penumbra or umbra will dictate the type of lunar eclipse. During a total lunar eclipse, the umbra completely covers the lunar surface. In this diagram, the moon is located in the penumbral shadow so it is experiencing a penumbral eclipse. (Image credit: Future)

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(Image credit: Celestron)

Looking for a telescope for the moon? We recommend the Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ as the best for basic astrophotography in our best beginner's telescope guide.

In a partial lunar eclipse, only a portion of the moon passes into Earth's shadow, creating the appearance of a hazy "bite" taken out of the lunar surface. The shadow will darken the side of the moon facing Earth. The size of this "bite" is determined by the alignment of the sun, Earth, and moon.

About 3.5% of the moon's visible surface will be covered by the darkest part of Earth's shadow, the umbra. The rest of the Full Moon will take on a slightly reddish-brown appearance as the lighter portion of Earth's shadow which doesn't entirely block the sun's light will descend upon a majority of the lunar surface.

Super special eclipse

An illustration of the moon during a partial lunar eclipse on Sept. 17, 2024. (Image credit: Starry Night Software)

The partial lunar eclipse is extra special as it also falls during a "supermoon", the second of four supermoons in a row for 2024.

A supermoon happens when a full moon coincides with the moon's closest point to Earth in its orbit (which is elliptical-shaped). As a result, the moon appears slightly brighter and larger than usual, although the difference is subtle and hard to detect with the naked eye.

The term supermoon generally refers to a full moon within 90% of its closest approach to Earth. According to Fred Espanak, eclipse expert and retired NASA astrophysicist, there will be four supermoons in 2024, in August, September, October and November.

A lunar eclipse never comes alone

Approximately two weeks after the lunar eclipse Earth will experience an annular solar eclipse on Oct. 2. The dazzling "ring of fire" solar eclipse will be visible over parts of the Pacific Ocean, southern Chile and southern Argentina.

You can keep up with all the solar eclipse action with our solar eclipse live blog. We will also be streaming the eclipse live on Space.com, more details on how to watch online will be released closer to the time.

Editor's note: If you snap a great picture of the moon during September's partial lunar eclipse, and would like to share it with Space.com's readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.

Harvest Moon Supermoon lunar eclipse: How to watch online for free tonight

brett.tingley@futurenet.com (Brett Tingley) — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 20:59:09 +0000

A partial lunar eclipse of September's Harvest Moon Supermoon is happening tonight, and you can watch it online for free.

On Tuesday (Sept. 17), the Full Harvest Moon will experience a partial lunar eclipse that will be visible for North and South America (except for Alaska), Europe, most of Africa, western Asia, and parts of Antarctica. This eclipse will take place during a "supermoon," which will make the moon appear slightly larger in the night sky. This occurs when the moon is slightly closer to Earth, which happens because the moon's orbit is slightly elliptical, or oval-shaped.

If you can't watch the eclipse in person for any reason, there are luckily a number of livestreams available online for you to take in the Super Harvest Moon lunar eclipse.

TOP TELESCOPE PICK:

(Image credit: Celestron)

Looking for a telescope to see the moon up close? We recommend the Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ as the best for basic astronomy in our best beginner's telescope guide.

Lunar eclipses occur when the sun, Earth and the moon are lined up so that Earth casts its shadow on our natural satellite. This lunar eclipse will be only a slight one, with just the top 8.7% of the moon covered by the darkest part of Earth's shadow. Still, a lunar eclipse is a celestial spectacle worth watching any time it occurs.

For the Eastern time zone of the U.S., the eclipse will begin around 8:40 p.m. EDT on Sept. 17 and will peak around 10:44 p.m. EDT. Europe and Africa, meanwhile, will see the eclipse during the pre-dawn hours on Sept. 18.

For London, the eclipse will appear greatest around 3:45 a.m. BST on Sept. 18.

An illustration of a lunar eclipse showing Earth's umbra and penumbra, parts of its shadow cast by the sun. (Image credit: Angela Cini/iStock/Getty Images)

Livestreams of the partial lunar eclipse of the Super Harvest Moon are below. Watch them here on Space.com courtesy of the channels listed:

Time and Date

TimeAndDate.com will host a livestream of the partial lunar eclipse beginning at 9 p.m. ET on Sept. 17 (0100 GMT on Sept 18).

TimeAndDate offers a number of helpful resources for the eclipse, including interactive maps and times based on your location.

The Virtual Telescope Project

Astronomer Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project in Manciano, Italy will also host a livestream of the Super Harvest Moon lunar eclipse. The project's livestream will begin at 8:30 p.m. EDT on Sept. 17 (0030 GMT on Sept. 18) and will feature live telescope views of the moon throughout the stages of the eclipse.

Adler Planetarium

The Adler Planetarium in Chicago will also host a lunar eclipse livestream beginning at 10 p.m. EDT , or 9 p.m. CDT local time (0100 GMT on Sept. 18).

Adler Planetarium's livestream will feature astronomy educators offering live commentary on the eclipse as well as helpful tips for viewing the event yourself.

Viewing the moon

Partial lunar eclipse of the Harvest Moon: Everything you need to know

Joe Rao — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 15:00:09 +0000

The moon will be full on Tuesday, Sept. 17: The Harvest Full Moon.

The Harvest Moon isn't exclusively a September event because the full moon occurring closest to the autumnal equinox gets hung with this moniker. Every few years, October (rather than September) hosts this moon that once was critical to farmers. Before electricity and tractors with lights were used to harvest crops all night long, farmers relied on the Harvest Moon's light to extend workdays when fields were most bountiful.

This upcoming full moon will also be the last one prior to an annular (ring) eclipse of the sun on October 2. And this full moon will also experience — however slight — a lunar eclipse, which can be thought of as the preliminary to the main event a fortnight later.

Start of eclipse season

TOP TELESCOPE PICK:

(Image credit: Celestron)

Looking for a telescope for the moon? We recommend the Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ as the best for basic astronomy in our best beginner's telescope guide.

Both eclipses are, of course, related. A solar eclipse can occur only when the moon is at a node of its orbit. (The nodes are the two points where the moon's path on the sky crosses the sun's path, the ecliptic). During the solar eclipse, the moon will be crossing the ecliptic from north to south. But a half orbit earlier, at full moon, it will cross the opposite node from south to north, encountering the Earth's shadow along the way.

All this is a fine example of how an "eclipse season" works. An eclipse season is when the sun (from our perspective here on Earth) is close enough to one of the moon's nodes to allow for an eclipse to occur. During the season, which lasts a little more than a month, whenever there is a full moon, a lunar eclipse will occur and whenever there is a new moon a solar eclipse will occur.

This will be almost like the lunar eclipse that occurred last March, though the moon passes not quite so wide of the center of the Earth's shadow and manages to give the Earth's dark umbra a glancing blow. The umbra, in fact, penetrates at most into only about 1/12 of the moon's diameter. In contrast with the vague gray penumbra, the umbra is much darker and quite sharp-rimmed.

Region of visibility

The region of visibility for this lunar eclipse covers much of North America (except Alaska and Hawaii), and all of South America (where as seen from Sao Luis, Brazil, the moon will be directly overhead at maximum eclipse). For those situated along and near the Pacific coasts of Washington, Oregon and northern California, the moon will rise on the evening of Sept. 17, already in partial eclipse.

Conversely, for much of Europe and Africa, the moon will be descending the western sky during the early morning hours of Sept. 18, setting with the last vestige of the umbra still visible on the moon's western limb for Finland, Ukraine, Turkey, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and Kenya.

Only a slight eclipse

At maximum eclipse (Sept. 18, 2:44 UTC) umbral penetration will be equal to only 8.7%, meaning that only the moon's uppermost limb will be submerged in the Earth's dark umbral shadow. For those who are in a position to view this eclipse, probably the most interesting thing to watch with binoculars or a telescope is when the umbra grazes the northern edge of the dark, lava-filled lunar impact crater Plato around the time of greatest eclipse.

Entry into or exit from the penumbra is not visible. About 70% of the moon's diameter must penetrate into the faint penumbra for it to become evident to most as a slight shading or smudginess, roughly a half hour before first contact with the umbra (moon's upper left portion) and roughly a half hour after last contact with the umbra (moon's upper right portion).

With or without a telescope, the smooth curve of the dark umbra on the lunar disk will be a nice reminder to us, as it was a divine revelation to the ancient Greeks, that our Earth is round.

Below is a timetable for the eclipse. Dashes indicate that the particular event is not visible because the moon is below the horizon. An asterisk indicates that the calendar date is Sept. 18.

Timetable for the Sept. 17 partial lunar eclipse of the Full Harvest Moon
Event	EDT	CDT	MDT	PDT
Moon enters Penumbra	8:40 p.m.	7:40 p.m.	—	—
Shading appears	9:44 p.m.	8:44 p.m.	7:44 p.m.	—
Moon enters Umbra	10:12 p.m.	9:12 p.m.	8:12 p.m.	—
Greatest Eclipse	10:44 p.m.	9:44 p.m.	8:44 p.m.	7:44 p.m.
Moon leaves Umbra	11:16 p.m.	10:16 p.m.	9:16 p.m.	8:16 p.m.
Shading disappears	11:43 p.m.	10:43 p.m.	9:43 p.m.	8:43 p.m.
Moon leaves Penumbra	12:47 a.m.*	11:47 p.m.	10:47 p.m.	9:47 p.m.

Coming attractions

In 2025 the moon will undergo two total eclipses. The first one will favor North America and will be visible during the overnight hours of March 13-14. Totality will last 65 minutes. A second total eclipse will take place on Sept. 7, but there will be no visibility from the Americas. That late-summer event will be played out in the night skies over Europe, Africa and Asia, with the total phase lasting 82 minutes.

The moon looks incredible through a telescope or binoculars. If you want to get a closer look at the moon's many features during lunar eclipses or at any other time, be sure to read our guides to the best telescopes and best binoculars.

And if you want to take your own photos of the moon, we have tips for how to photograph the moon, as well as guides to the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography.

Be sure not to miss our night sky tonight page and monthly skywatching calendar for more celestial events to take in!

Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, the Farmers' Almanac and other publications.

Editor's note: If you get a great picture of the moon during September's partial lunar eclipse, and would like to share it with Space.com's readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.

The original 'Mr. Eclipse:' How a 19th-century astronomer calculated the dates of over 13,000 eclipses

Joe Rao — Fri, 24 May 2024 16:00:00 +0000

If one were to mention the name, "Mr. Eclipse," most amateur and professional astronomers would immediately recognize it as the nom de plume for Fred Espenak, a retired emeritus American astrophysicist who worked at the Goddard Space Flight Center. But he is far better known for his work on eclipse predictions.

The first total solar eclipse Espenak saw was in March 1970, which sparked his interest in eclipses at the age of 16. Eight years later, he began providing eclipse bulletins for NASA, and today he is the author of many highly-regarded canonical works on eclipse predictions. Many eclipse chasers who desire information on past and especially future eclipses, go to EclipseWise.com where Dr. Espenak has developed a website dedicated to comprehensive predictions and information on eclipses of the sun and moon.

To be sure, he has earned the title of "Mr. Eclipse." But in the late 19th century, there was a man who, during his time, could have also been branded as "Mr. Eclipse." His name was Theodor Ritter von Oppolzer.

From medicine to astronomy

Born in Prague, Czechoslovakia on Oct. 26, 1841, Oppolzer's father, Johann, was a highly-regarded surgeon and his mother, Maria, was the daughter of a chemist. In 1850 the family moved to Vienna, and it was there that young Theodor attended school, and it was soon realized that he had an exceptional talent for numbers and mathematics. While his father encouraged him to follow in his footsteps to study medicine, Theodor's primary interest was in the physical sciences, most notably astronomy.

Although he received a Ph.D. in medicine at the age of 23, the name of "Oppolzer" was becoming much better known in astronomy thanks to his publishing of technical papers concerning the orbits of various asteroids and comets. He was only 21 when he published his first paper concerning the orbit of Comet Thatcher, a bright comet that appeared in 1861 that we know today is responsible for the meteoroids that produce the annual April Lyrid meteor shower.

By 1866, he began teaching theoretical astronomy and geodesics at the University of Vienna.

"Mr. Eclipse" himself, famed eclipse calculator, Dr. Fred Espenak (left) with the author, taken at the Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF) in 2016. (Image credit: Joe Rao)

But not only did he prove that he was a highly proficient calculator – he reputedly memorized the values of 14,000 logarithms – Oppolzer also made astronomical observations directly from his own private observatory in Vienna-Josephstadt. Equipped with a revolving dome, a 7-inch refracting telescope, a wide-field comet seeker, and a meridian circle, Oppolzer was literally a “one-man show,” being able to not only observe asteroids and comets, but then derive orbits for them as well.

In fact, in 1870, he published a paper which brought him international fame: Creating a new method for computing an orbit from only three or four observed positions; the speed in which Oppolzer’s methodology provided a solution, supplanted a more tedious procedure derived by the now-legendary German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss.

Theodor Ritter von Oppolzer (1841-1886) often considered to be one of the most talented astronomers of the 19th century. He devised mathematical methods to improve the orbits of comets and asteroids and often frustrated his students by working too rapidly through calculations for them to follow. This image dates back to 1844. (Image credit: Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain)

An eclipse atlas takes shape

In 1868, Oppolzer participated in an expedition to Aden on the Arabian Sea to observe a solar eclipse. This celestial event fascinated him and soon he began studying eclipses that took place during ancient history. But it turned out to be a frustrating task, because at that time, there were hardly any reference guides that could be consulted regarding eclipses from previous centuries.

That's when Oppolzer made a monumental decision: If there were no eclipse catalogs available, then he would compile one for himself. But he decided that his catalog would do more than simply provide a listing of the dates of eclipses. Rather, he intended to provide precise computations that would allow one to derive the circumstances of a specific eclipse as seen from any one spot on Earth. And Oppolzer also intended his catalog to cover eclipses that had not only occurred in the far-distant past, but also to provide a look ahead to eclipses that were to occur many decades into the future.

To any astronomer of the 19th century, such a task would have seemed all but impossible, but Oppolzer was determined to make it happen.

For his initial calculations, Oppolzer relied heavily on the writings of Peter Andreas Hansen who was a Danish-born German astronomer, whose most important work concerned the improvement of the theories and tables of the orbits of the principal bodies in the solar system. Hansen’s book concerning the motion of the moon: "New Foundations of the Investigation of the True Orbit That the Moon Traverses" was published in 1838.

The systematic character of Hansen’s methods carried celestial mechanics to a new level of power and precision. The tables based on his theory were printed in Great Britain in 1857 and were used until 1923 Hansen's data served as the foundation for Oppolzer's eclipse calculations, and allowed him to develop his own set of tables in 1881, which provided accurate dates and times for both new and full moons for the distant past and far into the future.

Now the stage was set for doing the actual eclipse calculations.

A tedious task

One man alone could not do all the computations, so initially Oppolzer was able to get five volunteers to assist him. They worked in two groups on the same calculations so that the final solutions obtained could be compared and fact-checked for accuracy. After a while, however, the initial enthusiasm of these volunteers waned as the work became ponderous, wearisome and just plain mind-numbing. Ultimately, all five dropped out of the project.

So, in 1882, Oppolzer hired five more men to do the calculations, but this time they were paid to do the job at the rate of one guilder per solar eclipse – the cost of an average lunch. That apparently did the trick, for on Oct. 22, 1885, the manuscript for "Canon der Finsternisse" ("Canon of Eclipses") was finally completed and forwarded to the Imperial Academy of Science in Vienna. The calculations of 8,000 solar eclipses were augmented by calculations of 5,200 lunar eclipses, covering more than 33 centuries: from 1208 B.C. through A.D. 2161.

The title pages of the 1887 edition of Canon of Eclipses (on left), published a few month's after Oppolzer's untimely death at the age of 45. On the right is the title page of the English language reprint, published by Dover Publications in 1962. (Image credit: Joe Rao)

Remember that in the late 19th century, electronic computers were far in the distant future; Oppolzer's Canon was compiled entirely by pencil-and-paper calculation! The handwritten sheets of logarithmic number crunching on which the final work was based, contained over 10 million figures and filled 242 thick folio volumes. In an article that appeared in the Dutch magazine Zenit in November 1987, Wilhelm H.C. Carton declared that:

"The Canon was one of the greatest computational feats of the pre-electronic age and the work of a person extraordinary for any time."

The Canon of Eclipses may have also contributed to Oppolzer's ultimate demise. Every day for many long hours, he meticulously examined the proof sheets of his work before it was finally ready for publication. Shortly after examining the final proof sheet, he fell victim to heart disease and died the day after Christmas in 1886 at the age of 45. His "magnum opus" was finally published a few months later in the spring of 1887.

The definitive masterpiece on eclipses

Thereafter, for almost 80 years, Oppolzer's "Canon" was considered to be the authoritative work on solar and lunar eclipses. In 1962, Dover Publications in New York reprinted the "Canon" which was translated into English by American astronomer Owen Gingerich and included a preface by Gingerich and solar eclipse expert Donald H. Menzel. The Dover reprint cost only 10 dollars, enjoyed wide distribution and sold-out quickly.

Now, long out of print, copies may be located at book stores that sell hard-to-find books. In 1998, my mother was able to procure a copy in very good condition from a book seller in Oregon for a Christmas gift for me. It remains a prized possession.

So far being a valuable tool for historians, the "Canon" revealed the solar eclipse of June 15, 763 B.C. as the one described in the Christian Bible (Amos 8:9) at Nineveh, and another, allegedly predicted by the Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus on May 28, 585 B.C. So far as lunar eclipses are concerned, the book helped to identify Aug. 27, 412 B.C. as the one that Athenian historian and general Thucydides wrote in a detailed account. And the circumstances for the partial eclipse of March 13, 4 B.C. is often used as a benchmark to date the death of Herod the Great when Biblical scholars research the date of Christ's birth and a possible appearance for the Star of Bethlehem.

Oppolzer would have been proud.

The cover of the 1962 reprint of Canon of Eclipses (Canon der Finsternisse) by Dover Publications in New York. The book sold for only 10 dollars and was widely distributed, but is now long out of print. Copies are rather hard to find, but the author's mother located a copy at a hard-to-find bookstore in Oregon and presented it to him as a Christmas gift in 1998. He considers it one of his most valued possessions. (Image credit: Joe Rao)

Unwarranted criticism

Today, however, many criticize Oppolzer's "Canon" primarily because of the inaccuracy of the solar eclipse tracks that were plotted in the back of his book on 160 dish-shaped maps, all centered on the North Pole and bounded by latitude 30° south. Three, and occasionally four, precisely computed points were plotted with a circular arc drawn through the points, providing a good but not exact approximation of the true path.

As a result, notable discrepancies often result.

For example: For many years – up until about the mid 1960s, when more accurate reference sources became available – it was assumed that New York City would witness a total eclipse of the sun on April 8, 2024. That assumption was based solely on Oppolzer's "Canon," which depicted the path of that recent total solar eclipse passing directly over that metropolitan area. Many 20th century astronomy books, as well as articles in newspapers and magazines during that era stressed this point. But the truth of the matter was that on eclipse day the path of totality passed about 200 miles (320 km) to the City's northwest, with New Yorkers having to settle instead for a large (91%) partial eclipse.

Many other eclipse paths in the "Canon" were found to be "off" by up to a few hundred miles. So, was Oppolzer and his team to blame for such discrepancies?

The answer is most definitely no.

Oppolzer himself wrote that: "These charts have only one purpose, to show at a glance the eclipse path and especially where the computed points lie. It is clear that the circular arcs are approximations; however, it must never be forgotten that there can often be a considerable deviation for places lying far from the principal points."

This is a segment from Chart 154 of Oppolzer's Canon, depicting the tracks of solar eclipses that passed over North America in the 2008 to 2030 time-frame. The paths of total eclipses are solid curves, while annular (ring) eclipses are dotted. Note how the path of the recent April 8 eclipse (2024 IV 8) is shown to pass directly over New York City. In reality, the path was displaced about 200 miles to the northwest. Discrepancies such as this were artifacts of the simple plotting procedure used for these maps. (Image credit: Joe Rao)

Don't miss a partial lunar eclipse of October's Full Hunter's Moon this week

Robert Lea — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 14:00:18 +0000

Earlier this month, an annular eclipse of the sun was visible from Earth, and before October 2023 draws to a close, it will be the moon's turn to experience an eclipse.

Next weekend, the moon will pass into the shadow of the Earth, triggering a partial lunar eclipse visible in full from Europe, including Russia, Italy, Germany and the UK, and African countries like South Africa, Egypt and Algeria, according to Time and Date.

Beginning on Saturday, Oct. 28, and stretching into Sunday, Oct. 29, the partial lunar will occur during October's full moon, the Hunter's Moon. Skywatchers in New York and other U.S. states will only get to see this latter penumbral stage of the Oct. 28 partial eclipse, as during the earlier stages, the moon will be below the horizon. The end of the eclipse will be visible from a few states in the U.S., like New York, Alaska and North Carolina, but not to its full extent.

This is only a partial lunar eclipse because the Earth, the moon, and the sun will not perfectly align. That means that only part of the moon will slip into the darkest part of Earth's shadow, the umbra.

The beginning of the eclipse sees the moon move into the outer and lighter part of Earth's shadow, which is known as the penumbra. For eclipse watchers in London, England, the eclipse will start with this penumbral stage at 1801 GMT (1401 EDT) when Earth moves between the moon and the sun, and the shadow of our planet first falls on the lunar disk.

A map made by In-The-Sky.org showing where the eclipse of October 28 will be visible. (Image credit: In-The-Sky.org/Dominic Ford)

TOP TELESCOPE PICK:

(Image credit: Celestron)

Want to see the moon up close? We recommend the Celestron Astro Fi 102 as the top pick in our best beginner's telescope guide.

As the Earth moves further over the moon, the darkest inner part of its shadow — the umbra — begins to fall on the lunar disk. On Saturday and again from London, this will begin at 1935 GMT (3:35 p.m. EDT). This is followed by the maximum eclipse, when Earth's umbra covers a large part of the moon, kicking off at 2014 GMT (4:14 p.m. EDT) for this eclipse.

The partial eclipse ends when the moon moves out of the umbra, passing back into the penumbra and a second penumbral eclipse stage, occurring at 2052 GMT (4:52 p.m. EDT) on Oct. 28. Finally, the moon moves clear of the penumbra too, signaling the end of the lunar eclipse. This will happen at 2226 GMT (6:26 p.m. EDT).

An illustration of the arrangement between the sun, Earth, and the moon during a partial lunar eclipse (Image credit: NASA/Robert Lea)

It is no coincidence that the partial lunar eclipse will happen at the time of the Hunter's Moon, as lunar eclipses need full moons to proceed. Not every full moon is marked by a lunar eclipse, however, because the moon's orbital path around Earth has an inclination (tilt) of 5 degrees compared to our planet's orbital path around the sun. Eclipses only happen when the full moon is close to points at which the orbital paths of the Earth and the moon intersect, called lunar nodes.

No special equipment besides knowledge of the timing of the lunar eclipse and a blanket and comfortable chair is needed to watch this event. Even if you are outside the path of this lunar eclipse, you will still be able to watch the partial lunar eclipse live and for free online at the Time and Date YouTube channel.

If you miss this partial eclipse, the moon will once again pass into the shadow of Earth on Sept. 17, 2024, with this partial lunar eclipse event visible in its full glory from most of Europe and all of North America.

If you are hoping to catch a look at the moon during the partial eclipse (or any other time!), our guides to the best telescopes and best binoculars are a great place to start.

And if you're looking to snap photos of the moon or the night sky in general, check out our guide on how to photograph the moon, as well as our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography.

Editor’s Note: If you snap an image of the partial lunar eclipse and would like to share it with Space.com’s readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.

See 1st lunar eclipse of 2023 darken the full Flower Moon in eerie photos

brett.tingley@futurenet.com (Brett Tingley) — Mon, 08 May 2023 12:00:40 +0000

Skywatchers taking in the full moon this month got to witness the first lunar eclipse of 2023.

A penumbral lunar eclipse of the full Flower Moon took place on May 5, 2023 and was visible for much of the Eastern Hemisphere and Antarctica. This type of lunar eclipse occurs when the moon enters the outermost part of Earth's shadow, known as the penumbra. While these eclipses aren't nearly as dramatic as a total or partial lunar eclipse, they nonetheless offer skywatchers the chance to visualize the astronomical alignment of the sun, Earth and the moon in real time.

This particular eclipse appeared as a dark 'smudge' or 'stain' on the outer portion of the moon. Photographers throughout Asia and the Middle East were able to capture the eclipse in the eerie photographs below.

TOP TELESCOPE PICK:

(Image credit: Celestron)

Looking for a telescope to observe the moon or anything else in the sky? We recommend the Celestron Astro Fi 102 as the top pick in our best beginner's telescope guide.

The second lunar eclipse of 2023 will be a partial lunar eclipse on October 28, followed by another penumbral lunar eclipse in March 2024. Be sure not to miss our guide offering a full calendar of lunar eclipses in 2023.

And if you live in the path of a lunar eclipse and want to take photos of it, be sure not to miss our guide on how to photograph a lunar eclipse.

During the full Flower Moon on May 5, skywatchers in Duhok, Iraq saw the penumbral lunar eclipse appear to just slightly darken one edge of the full moon in the night sky.

A view of the moon during Penumbral Lunar Eclipse in Duhok, Iraq on May 05, 2023. (Image credit: Ismael Adnan Yaqoob/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Some of the images from Duhok captured a fairly dramatic penumbral lunar eclipse in which the outer edge of Earth's shadow was plainly visible on the face of the moon.

A view of the moon during Penumbral Lunar Eclipse in Duhok, Iraq on May 5, 2023. (Image credit: Ismael Adnan Yaqoob/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Photographers in Moscow, Russia witnessed the eclipse darken a reddish-looking moon as it sat low on the horizon.

A view of the moon during Penumbral Lunar Eclipse in Moscow, Russia on May 5, 2023. (Image credit: Sefa Karacan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

The penumbral lunar eclipse was more dramatic as seen from Banda Aceh, Indonesia, where it appeared to darken one half of the moon's disk.

This photo taken on May 5, 2023 shows the moon during a penumbral lunar eclipse in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. (Image credit: CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN/AFP via Getty Images)

Farther east, photographers in China captured the moon as it grew significantly darker when Earth's shadow stretched across it.

The moon is seen during penumbral lunar eclipse on May 5, 2023 in Yingkou, Liaoning Province of China. (Image credit: Liu Debin/VCG via Getty Images)

And in Srinagar, India, moonwatchers were treated to a spectacle as the penumbral eclipse created a distinct shadow across one side of the moon's face.

The full Flower Moon is seen during a penumbral lunar eclipse in Srinagar, India. (Image credit: Saqib Majeed/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

If you hope to take a look at the moon close-up during an eclipse or any other time, our guides to the best telescopes and best binoculars are a great place to start.

And for tips on photographing the night sky in general, check out our guide on how to photograph the moon and our rundowns on the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography.

May's Full Flower Moon rises tonight after a lunar eclipse

Robert Lea — Fri, 05 May 2023 10:00:02 +0000

May's full moon rises tonight (May 5), offering skywatchers the chance to experience the colorfully named "Flower Moon" of 2023.

During the full moon, the lunar face will be fully illuminated by the sun with the Flower Moon visible for most of the night across the globe from around sunset. From New York City, the Flower Moon will rise at around 6:59 p.m. EDT (2259 GMT) and will set at around 5:39 a.m. EDT (0939 GMT) the following morning. At the exact moment of the full moon around 1:36 a.m. EDT (0536 GMT) when it is 180 degrees from the line the sun traces in the sky, the Flower Moon will be in the Libra constellation, according to In the Sky.

Friday will be an interesting day for moonwatchers, as it also marks a penumbral lunar eclipse, though according to In the Sky this will not be visible from New York City as the moon will be below the horizon for the entire time the moon is in the shadow of the Earth.

While the lunar eclipse on May 5 will only be visible to the Eastern Hemisphere, you can still check it out in real-time thanks to a free livestream hosted by the Virtual Telescope Project.

Penumbral eclipses happen when the Earth passes between the moon and the sun with the three celestial objects aligned with our planet in the middle. As a result, the shadow of our planet falls on the lunar face, obscuring it from the light of the sun.

During a penumbral eclipse, the moon only moves into the penumbra, the lighter outer region of the Earth's shadow, meaning our planet appears to obscure part of the sun's disk but not all of it. Thus, the moon receives some light but is slightly dimmed. The resulting effect can be so subtle that it is barely perceptible, sometimes only visible to people with very good eyesight or in carefully controlled photographs.

The Flower Moon will, fortunately, be more conspicuous and visible beyond the regions of Earth that get to experience the penumbral eclipse.

The monthly full moons all receive specific monikers many of which come from Native American sources, according to Farmer's Almanac. The May full moon's title the Flower Moon relates to flowers spring forth across North America during the month of May.

The Flower Moon as seen from Eindhoven, the Netherlands on May 16, 2022 (Image credit: Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Farmer's Almanac writes that name has been attributed to the Algonquin peoples, a fact that the website adds has been confirmed by Christina Ruddy of The Algonquin Way Cultural Centre in Pikwakanagan, Ontario. In the Dakota tradition, May's full moon has a similarly floral name, the Month of Flowers, according to travelogues dating back to the 18th century.

Other names for the Flower Moon from Native American sources include the Cree names Budding Moon or Leaf Budding Moon and the Planting Moon from the Lakota, all of which highlight burgeoning flora during May. Other names for the full moon of May focus on fauna, with the Cree names the Egg Laying Moon and the Frog Moon, and the Oglala title the Moon of the Shedding Ponies being particularly striking examples that are taken from the effect the warming weather of spring has on wildlife.

If you are hoping to catch a look at the Flower Moon and don't have everything you need to get a close-up look at it, our guides to the best telescopes and best binoculars are a great place to start.

If you're looking to snap photos of the night sky in general, check out our guide on how to photograph the moon, as well as our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography.

Editor's Note: If you snap an image of the Flower Moon, and would like to share it with Space.com's readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.