The total lunar eclipse will take place on Tuesday, 3 March (or before or after midnight of March 2 and 4 depending on the time zone), allowing skywatchers to enjoy a spectacular show. For nearly an hour, the full moon will slip into Earth’s shadow and glow a rusty hue or what’s referred to as a ‘blood moon’. What’s more—along the East Coast of the United States, early risers could witness something even more unusual: a rare sky spectacle known as a selenelion. Below, everything you need to know about when and where to catch the show—the last total lunar eclipse until New Year’s Eve 2028.
What is a total eclipse of the moon?
The sun, Earth and full moon must all be aligned perfectly for a lunar eclipse to occur. Our planet is positioned directly between the sun and the moon. As the full moon passes through Earth’s shade, the sunlight filters through our atmosphere and bathes the moon in reds, oranges, and other shades.
Lunar eclipses occur in phases. The penumbral eclipse begins when the moon moves into the outer faint shadow of the Earth (the penumbra), where the dimming occurs subtly. As the moon moves further into the shadow of the Earth, the umbra, the partial eclipse begins. The lunar disk is gradually swallowed by a curved, curving shadow. When the moon is completely in the umbra and its surface turns reddish-orange, the full eclipse or totality occurs.
Where and when can I view the eclipse?
The total lunar eclipse can be viewed anywhere there is a moon. The total lunar eclipse this week can be seen in the Americas and the Pacific. Australia. Asia. You won’t need any special gear like eclipse glasses—it’s safe to look at a lunar eclipse with the naked eye, and the use of binoculars or a telescope is fine, too.
Totality lasts 58 minutes. The total eclipse lasts 5 hours and 39 minutes. In the Americas the eclipse begins after midnight on the 3rd; in western areas like Hawaii it will begin late in the evening on the 2nd. The eclipse on the other side will begin in the evening of March 3 and in some places (such as Hawaii) it may start late at night. New ZealandThe event will run until the early morning hours of March 4.
Here is the exact timing in Coordinated Universal Time. You can use the a webpage to determine the time in your area. time zone converter.
