{"id":13031,"date":"2025-02-07T00:02:07","date_gmt":"2025-02-07T04:02:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zobi.alcowep.com\/bourtagshdrevxnls658739\/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-march-2025-total-lunar-eclipse\/"},"modified":"2025-02-07T00:02:07","modified_gmt":"2025-02-07T04:02:07","slug":"what-you-need-to-know-about-the-march-2025-total-lunar-eclipse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zobi.alcowep.com\/bourtagshdrevxnls658739\/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-march-2025-total-lunar-eclipse\/","title":{"rendered":"What You Need To Know About the March 2025 Total Lunar Eclipse"},"content":{"rendered":"

What You Need To Know About the March 2025 Total Lunar Eclipse<\/h2>\n

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4 min read<\/p>\n

What You Need To Know About the March 2025 Total Lunar Eclipse<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The Moon will pass into Earth\u2019s shadow and appear to turn red on the night of March 13 or early in the morning of March 14, depending on time zone. Here\u2019s what you need to know about the total lunar eclipse.<\/p>\n

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The March 2025 total lunar eclipse will take place between late night on March 13 and early morning on March 14 across several time zones. In this data visualization, the Moon moves from right to left, passing through Earth\u2019s shadow and leaving in its wake an eclipse diagram with the times (in UTC) at various stages of the eclipse. Credit: NASA\u2019s Scientific Visualization Studio<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What is a lunar eclipse?<\/h2>\n

A\u00a0lunar eclipse<\/a>\u00a0occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that the Moon passes into Earth\u2019s shadow. In a total lunar eclipse, the entire Moon falls within the darkest part of Earth\u2019s shadow, called the umbra. When the Moon is within the umbra, it turns red-orange. Lunar eclipses are sometimes called \u201cBlood Moons\u201d because of this phenomenon.<\/p>\n

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\"Lunar<\/a><\/figure>
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Alignment of the Moon, Earth, and Sun during a lunar eclipse (not to scale). <\/div>\n
NASA\u2019s Scientific Visualization Studio<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

How can I observe the eclipse?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

You don\u2019t need any special equipment to observe a lunar eclipse, although binoculars or a telescope will enhance the view. A dark environment away from bright lights makes for the best viewing conditions.<\/p>\n

This eclipse will be visible from Earth\u2019s Western Hemisphere.<\/p>\n

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\"A<\/a><\/figure>
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Map showing where the March 13-14, 2025 lunar eclipse is visible. Contours mark the edge of the visibility region at eclipse contact times, labeled in UTC.<\/div>\n
NASA\u2019s Scientific Visualization Studio<\/a><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

What can I expect to observe?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Milestone<\/strong>:<\/td>\nWhat\u2019s happening<\/strong>:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Penumbral eclipse begins<\/strong> (8:57pm PDT, 11:57pm EDT, 03:57 UTC) <\/td>\nThe Moon enters the Earth\u2019s penumbra, the outer part of the shadow. The Moon begins to dim, but the effect is quite subtle.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Partial eclipse begins<\/strong> (10:09pm PDT, 1:09am EDT, 05:09 UTC)<\/td>\nThe Moon begins to enter Earth\u2019s umbra and the partial eclipse begins. To the naked eye, as the Moon moves into the umbra, it looks like a bite is being taken out of the lunar disk. The part of the Moon inside the umbra will appear very dark.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Totality begins<\/strong> (11:26pm PDT, 2:26am EDT, 06:26 UTC)<\/td>\nThe entire Moon is now in the Earth\u2019s umbra. The Moon will turn a coppery-red. Try binoculars or a telescope for a better view. If you want to take a photo, use a camera on a tripod with exposures of at least several seconds.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Totality ends<\/strong> (12:31am PDT, 3:31am EDT, 07:31 UTC)<\/td>\nAs the Moon exits Earth\u2019s umbra, the red color fades. It will look as if a bite is being taken out of the opposite side of the lunar disk as before.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Partial eclipse ends<\/strong> (1:47am PDT, 4:47am EDT, 08:47 UTC)<\/td>\nThe whole Moon is in Earth\u2019s penumbra, but again, the dimming is subtle.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Penumbral eclipse ends<\/strong> (3:00am PDT, 6:00am EDT, 10:00 UTC)<\/td>\nThe eclipse is over.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n
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Data visualization showing a telescopic view of the Moon as the March 2025 total lunar eclipse unfolds. Credit: NASA\u2019s Scientific Visualization Studio<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why does the Moon turn red during a lunar eclipse?<\/h2>\n

The same phenomenon that makes our sky blue<\/a> and our sunsets red causes the Moon to turn reddish-orange during a lunar eclipse. Sunlight appears white, but it actually contains a rainbow of components\u2014and different colors of light have different physical properties. Blue light scatters relatively easily as it passes through Earth\u2019s atmosphere. Reddish light, on the other hand, travels more directly through the air.<\/p>\n

When the Sun is high on a clear day, we see blue light scattered throughout the sky overhead. At sunrise and sunset, when the Sun is near the horizon, incoming sunlight travels a longer, low-angle path<\/a> through Earth\u2019s atmosphere to observers on the ground. The bluer part of the sunlight scatters away in the distance (where it\u2019s still daytime), and only the yellow-to-red part of the spectrum reaches our eyes.<\/p>\n

During a lunar eclipse, the Moon appears red or orange because any sunlight that\u2019s not blocked by our planet is filtered through a thick slice of Earth\u2019s atmosphere on its way to the lunar surface. It\u2019s as if all the world\u2019s sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the Moon.<\/p>\n

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\"The<\/a><\/figure>
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During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon is reddened by sunlight filtered through Earth\u2019s atmosphere. <\/div>\n
NASA\u2019s Scientific Visualization Studio<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

What else can I observe on the night of the eclipse?<\/h2>\n

Look to the western sky on the night of the eclipse for a glimpse of planets Jupiter and Mars. The Moon will be in the constellation Leo, under the lion\u2019s hind paw, at the beginning of the eclipse; soon afterward, it will cross into the constellation Virgo. As Earth\u2019s shadow dims the Moon\u2019s glow, constellations may be easier to spot than usual.<\/p>\n

Visit our What\u2019s Up guide<\/a> for monthly\u00a0skywatching tips, and find lunar observing recommendations for each day of the year in our Daily Moon Guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tRead more: The Moon and Eclipses<\/span>
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Writers: Caela Barry, Ernie Wright<\/em>, and Molly Wasser<\/em><\/p>\n

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