This week sees a special cosmic event for skywatchers in North America and many other parts of the world as well, as a total lunar eclipse will be visible on the night of March 13 to 14. This Thursday night, if skies are clear you’ll have the opportunity to catch this striking lunar phenomenon, and you can see it either with the naked eye or using a telescope or binoculars.
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the sun, so that Earth’s shadow blocks out light from the moon. As the moon enters the Earth’s shadow is will gradually darken, until the lunar disk turns from bright white to orange or deep red. This color explains from where lunar eclipses get their other name: Blood Moons.
This video from NASA shows the kind of view that you can expect to see during the lunar eclipse, created by Ernie Wright of NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio:
It’s worth taking the time to view this eclipse as it’s not a frequent occurrence. “Make sure you don’t miss this disappearing act, for it’s the first total lunar eclipse visible anywhere since November 2022,” advises Diana Hannikainen, Editor in Chief at Sky & Telescope. “A lunar eclipse happens when the Sun, Earth, and a full Moon form a near-perfect lineup in space, in what is known as syzygy.”
To check when the eclipse will be visible in your region, you can consult this map created by NASA:
The totality, when the moon is fully covered, will last for 66 minutes so you should have a decent window to catch the event. It’s worth looking up in the hours before the totality though so you can see the moon begin to dim and a “chunk” of the moon disappearing as Earth’s shadow moves in. Likewise, after the totality the effect will occur in reverse, so you can observe the moon brightening again.
To get the best view of the eclipse, look for a viewing spot with minimal lights, and give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness by avoiding looking at your phone. If you have a telescope or binoculars, do make use of them as this will give you a much more detailed view. While the eclipse is happening you should also look to the west to see Jupiter and Mars, which will appear brighter without the moon’s brightnese.
