March’s Full Blood Moon Will Include a Total Lunar Eclipse: Here’s Where to See It

The lunar eclipse is complete a bit like supermoons because they come in groups. You get a few years to see a few of them before the long wait for the next one. March’s full moon includes a total lunar eclipse, and is the last of three lunar eclipses starting in March 2025. If you miss this one, you won’t get another chance to see another until New Year’s Eve 2028.

According to The Farmer’s Almanac, the March full moon occurs on March 3. It will reach maximum brightness, when the moon is full, at 6:38 am ET. You will not see the full moon in its majesty, even if you are outside at that time, because the moon will be in the middle of its eclipse.

Those hoping to see the eclipse should consider making an extra pot of coffee. The show begins at 3:44 am ET as the moon begins to move through Earth’s shadow, an area known as the penumbra. The moon will be dark at this time as the Earth begins to block the sunlight. This phase lasts until 4:50 am ET when the moon enters the umbra, the area behind the Earth where all direct light from the sun is blocked. The moon will enter its maximum eclipse at 6:33 am ET.

The moon will turn into a blood moon at this time. As sunlight passes through the Earth’s atmosphere, the shorter blue wavelengths are scattered, while the longer red and orange colors are reflected back toward the moon. This gives the blood moon its signature red appearance.

This phase of the eclipse will continue until 8:17 am ET when the moon enters the penumbra again. The eclipse ends at 9:23 am when it leaves the penumbra for the last time.

Will I see a lunar eclipse?

Everyone in North America will have a chance to see a lunar eclipse, although not everyone will see it equally. The central path of the eclipse recedes over the middle of the Pacific Ocean, so only people on the West Coast, Alaska and western Canada can see everything. The farther east you go, the shorter the eclipse you will be able to see.

The Time and Date website provides a map showing who can see the eclipse and how much they will see. It probably lines up pretty well with US time zones, so here’s how you’ll be able to see the eclipse based on where you live.

• Pacific Time: The total solar eclipse will be visible from start to finish.

• Mountain time: Full sunlight will be visible, but you may miss part of the penumbra phase.

• Average Time: The total eclipse will be visible, but you will lose more of the penumbra phase. People living near the western edge of the Eastern Time Zone will also experience this level of the eclipse.

• Eastern Time: Most of the eclipse will be visible, and you will lose a significant part of the penumbra phase.

Do I need special equipment to see the lunar eclipse?

You won’t need any special equipment to see a lunar eclipse.

It will be the brightest thing in the night sky, and the moonlight is not as dangerous to people’s eyes as it would be in the middle of time. eclipse of the sun.

The only thing you’ll need is caffeine, because all this happens in the middle of the night and early morning.

The next lunar eclipse

Total lunar eclipses usually occur in sets of three. The last two occur in March and September 2025, and the last member of the trio comes on March 3, 2026. Once that has passed, the next lunar eclipse won’t happen until Dec. 31, 2028, followed by June and December 2029.