Total Lunar Eclipse This Week: Viewing Times, Locations, and Weather Forecast

It is going to be a big week for astronomy enthusiasts with a total lunar eclipse on deck on Thursday night. What is a lunar eclipse, who will be in the path of this much-anticipated celestial event, and will the weather cooperate with the viewing? Read on for all of the details.

Understanding the Science of a Lunar Eclipse

The first total lunar eclipse since the year 2022 is on tap this week. This event is also known as a "blood moon" due to the fact that the moon takes on a red hue. The moon does not technically change colors during an eclipse. Instead, the red appearance comes from the moon entering the shadow cast by Earth. This movement reduces the amount of direct sunlight hitting the moon.

A small smattering of light will hit the moon when the body is fully inside Earth's dark inner shadow, marking the eclipse reaching the peak. The moon simply appears orange or red because the sunlight that is not blocked by Earth is filtered through a part of the planet's atmosphere as it works toward the lunar surface.

Astronomy experts caution that stargazers should not count on the certainty of a red moon. The precise conditions in Earth's atmosphere at the time of the eclipse will influence the hue that the moon absorbs. For instance, the dust generated by a volcanic eruption could greatly influence the color of the moon.

The upcoming eclipse will be visible across all of North America and South America on the night of Thursday, March 13 and into the early hours on Friday. Some areas of western Europe, western Africa, and New Zealand may also catch a glimpse of the event.