Watch the moon turn red: Total lunar eclipse to grace the skies in March

NEW YORK. A spectacular celestial event is set to take place this March. A total lunar eclipse will cast a deep red hue over the moon, visible across the Western Hemisphere from Thursday night into early Friday morning.

According to experts, the best viewing spots will be in North and South America, while parts of Africa and Europe may catch a partial glimpse of the event.

Lunar eclipses occur when the sun, Earth, and moon align perfectly, causing Earth’s shadow to obscure the moon either partially or completely. During a total lunar eclipse, the entire moon is enveloped in the Earth’s shadow, taking on a coppery-red hue due to scattered sunlight filtering through Earth’s atmosphere. This phenomenon, often called a “blood moon,” occurs a few times each decade.

NASA reports that between four to seven lunar and solar eclipses can take place annually. The last partial lunar eclipse was observed in the Americas, Africa, and Europe in September, while the most recent total lunar eclipse happened in 2022.

How to Watch the Lunar Eclipse

The total eclipse will last for approximately an hour, beginning at 2:26 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday, with peak visibility occurring around 3 a.m. Eastern.

Observers simply need to step outside and look up—no special equipment or eclipse glasses are required.

“As long as the sky is clear, you should be able to see it,” said Shannon Schmoll, director of Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University.

For viewers in Europe and Africa, the moon’s setting may make it more difficult to witness the full eclipse.

“This is really an eclipse for North and South America,” noted Michael Faison, an astronomy expert from Yale University.

If skywatchers miss this event, they will have another opportunity on September 7, when a total lunar eclipse will be visible across parts of Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe. The next total lunar eclipse for the Americas is expected in March 2026.

Lunar Eclipses Through History

Lunar eclipses have fascinated civilizations for millennia. Ancient societies carefully observed and interpreted these celestial events, often attributing deep cultural and scientific significance to them.

“They were looking at the night sky, and they had a much brighter vision than we do today,” said historian Zoe Ortiz of the University of North Texas, emphasizing the astronomical knowledge of early civilizations.

Greek philosopher Aristotle noted that Earth’s curved shadow during a lunar eclipse was evidence of the planet’s round shape—one of the earliest recorded proofs of a spherical Earth.

Meanwhile, ancient Mesopotamians viewed the blood-red moon as an omen of misfortune for their ruler. To protect their king from potential harm, they would install a temporary substitute ruler around the time of an eclipse.

“If there’s ever a movie plot,” Ortiz quipped, “that’s the one.”

With history and science intertwined, the upcoming total lunar eclipse promises to be a mesmerizing event for stargazers across the Western Hemisphere.