‘Blood Moon’ total lunar eclipse visible in parts of the US
A total lunar eclipse will be seen early Tuesday morning, revealing a striking “blood-red” moon, but it will be the last such event until the end of 2028.
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The moon will cast a blood-red hue over parts of the Earth early Tuesday, March 3, making much of the United States visible.
A total lunar eclipse will be visible across much of the Americas this week, creating a phenomenon often referred to as a “blood moon.” Before dawn on March 3rd, the full moon will be covered by Earth’s shadow, creating a solar eclipse. This phenomenon marks March’s full moon, known as the Worm Moon, and provides a special treat for skygazers and early risers.
Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming total lunar eclipse in March, also known as the blood moon or worm moon.
When is the total lunar eclipse?
Stargazers will be able to view the solar eclipse from approximately 4 a.m. ET to approximately 7 a.m. ET on Tuesday, March 3, while the partial solar eclipse will last until approximately 9 a.m. ET.
According to NASA, the timeline for the solar eclipse is expected to be as follows:
- 3:44 a.m. ET The penumbral eclipse begins. The moon enters the Earth’s outer shadow
- 4:50 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time)– A partial solar eclipse begins. A “bite” appears on the moon
- 6:04 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time)– Wholeness begins. The moon turns dark red or orange
- 7:03 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time)– Completely finished
- 8:17 a.m. ET– The partial solar eclipse ends and the moon begins to dim.
- 9:23 a.m. ET– The solar eclipse is over
Who can see a total lunar eclipse?
According to TimeandDate.com, approximately 176 million people, or 2% of the world’s population, will be able to witness the full eclipse.
A total lunar eclipse will be visible across North America, parts of South America, East Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Ocean. If you live in the western United States, including Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington, you will be able to see the peak of the total lunar eclipse.
Space.com, NASA, TimeandDate, And the app “Star Walk”.
People living in central areas like Denver, Dallas, and Chicago will be able to catch a glimpse of the red moon, but they won’t be able to see the full eclipse from start to finish.
Some cities in the Northeast, such as New York and Washington, may be able to catch a brief glimpse of the total solar eclipse, but they won’t be able to see the later stages of the eclipse.
What is a total lunar eclipse?
A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon enters Earth’s shadow, aligning with Earth and the sun. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the moon is incompletely hidden in Earth’s shadow. According to NASA, in a total lunar eclipse, the entire moon enters the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, called the umbra, completely blocking the sun’s light.
Total lunar eclipses are sometimes called “blood moons” because the moon tends to turn red and rusty when it is completely obscured by Earth’s shadow.
Contributed by Julia Gomez, Michelle Del Rey, Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY
