The phenomenon is set to light the US up in a shade of deep red
A rare phenomenon is set to light up the night sky with a deep shade of red reflecting off the moon.
Tonight, March 13, people around the world are in for a breathtaking spectacle—a total lunar eclipse, also known as a “blood moon.” This marks the first complete lunar eclipse since 2022, and it occurs when Earth aligns perfectly between the sun and the moon. Thanks to its orbit, such events happen roughly every two and a half years.
Professor Don Pollacco from the University of Warwick Astronomy and Astrophysics Group explained the phenomenon: “The Moon, like all planets, doesn’t generate its own light but shines by reflecting sunlight. On the morning of Friday, March 14 [for those in the UK], the moon will pass through Earth’s shadow during its monthly orbit, creating this stunning display.”
“During this period, as sunlight can no longer reach the Moon, you might expect it to disappear, but instead, a small amount of sunlight filters through Earth’s atmosphere. This light is then reflected off the lunar surface, making the moon still visible to us,” Pollacco explained. “As sunlight travels through our atmosphere on its way to the Moon, the redder wavelengths pass through largely undisturbed, while the bluer wavelengths are scattered by dust in the Earth’s atmosphere.”
“The red light reaches the Moon and is reflected back to us, which is why the moon appears red. Interestingly, the redness of the moon can reveal details about the state of our atmosphere.”
Where and When to See the Blood Moon
In the US, the ‘blood moon’ will be visible starting just before 12 pm ET, continuing into the early morning of March 14. However, the full effect won’t occur until around 1 am ET. According to Pollacco, while this eclipse is best seen from the Atlantic side of the US, those on the western edge of the UK will catch the total phase starting around 4 am, just before morning twilight, with the Moon positioned low in the western sky.
He added, “For the rest of the UK, the eclipse won’t be total, but it will still be a striking sight. The best time to see the eclipse will be after 5 am, before the sky becomes too bright. The full moon often appears larger when it’s near the horizon, so this eclipse could be particularly impressive.”
So, there you have it—the blood moon will be far more visible in the US than in the UK, but still worth catching for anyone on the other side of the Atlantic.
