Total Lunar Eclipse 2025: When and How to See the Blood Moon
🌕 What Is a Total Lunar Eclipse? Everything You Need to Know About the Rare ‘Blood Moon’ Event Next Week
A spectacular celestial event is set to take place next week, offering skywatchers across the United States a breathtaking view of a total lunar eclipse. On the night of Thursday, March 13, into the early hours of Friday, March 14, the moon will take on a mesmerizing reddish-orange hue, commonly referred to as a “blood moon.” Unlike a total solar eclipse, which is only visible along a narrow path, this total lunar eclipse can be seen across all of the lower 48 states.
🌑 What Is a Total Lunar Eclipse?
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth moves directly between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow that completely covers the lunar surface. Since the moon does not emit its own light but rather reflects the sun’s rays, this shadow causes it to dim.
Even though the Earth blocks direct sunlight, some light still filters through the planet’s atmosphere and reaches the moon. This scattered light consists mostly of longer wavelengths, such as red and orange, giving the moon its distinctive color during an eclipse.
🔴 Why Does the Moon Turn Red?
The reddish hue of a total lunar eclipse happens due to a phenomenon known as Rayleigh scattering, the same process that creates colorful sunsets. When sunlight passes through the Earth’s atmosphere, shorter blue wavelengths scatter away, allowing only the longer red and orange wavelengths to illuminate the moon.
🔹 According to NASA, the intensity of the red shade can be influenced by atmospheric conditions, such as dust and cloud cover.
🌍 How Is a Lunar Eclipse Different from a Solar Eclipse?
While both events involve the alignment of the sun, Earth, and moon, they differ in how they occur:
- 🌕 Lunar Eclipse: The Earth is positioned between the sun and the moon, blocking sunlight from reaching the moon.
- ☀️ Solar Eclipse: The moon moves between the sun and Earth, temporarily blocking sunlight from reaching our planet.
🔸 One key distinction is visibility. A total lunar eclipse can be seen from anywhere on Earth where the moon is above the horizon at the time of the event. In contrast, a total solar eclipse is only visible within a narrow path of totality.
⏳ How Long Will the Total Lunar Eclipse Last?
Total lunar eclipses last significantly longer than solar eclipses. The upcoming lunar eclipse is expected to last over three and a half hours, according to the National Weather Service.
⚠️ Unlike a solar eclipse, which requires eye protection to observe safely, a lunar eclipse can be enjoyed with the naked eye.
👀 Best Ways to View the Total Lunar Eclipse
The best way to experience a total lunar eclipse is from a dark location, free from city lights and tall obstructions such as trees or buildings.
🔭 While no special equipment is required, using binoculars or a telescope can enhance the view, allowing you to see more details on the moon’s surface.
🔥 How Rare Are Total Lunar Eclipses?
Although the “blood moon” may seem like a rare event, total lunar eclipses occur approximately every two and a half years. However, not every region gets a perfect view each time, making this month’s eclipse a must-watch spectacle for astronomy enthusiasts.
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