Blood Moon and Total Lunar Eclipse this Month

By Faun Grey

A total lunar eclipse will paint the moon crimson Thursday evening into Friday morning across the Western Hemisphere. North and South America will experience the most spectacular views. Select regions of Africa and Europe might observe the phenomenon.

Lunar eclipses occur when precise alignment happens between the moon, Earth, and sun. Earth creates a shadow that can partially or completely obscure the moon. During partial lunar eclipses, Earth's shadow appears to carve into the moon's surface. In a total eclipse, the full moon becomes completely covered and glows reddish-copper as scattered sunlight passes through Earth's atmospheric layers.

NASA reports that lunar and solar eclipses occur between four and seven times annually. The Americas, Africa, and Europe witnessed a partial lunar eclipse last September, while the previous total lunar eclipse occurred in 2022.

How to see the lunar eclipse

The phenomenon, nicknamed the blood moon, will be observable for approximately one hour beginning at 2:26 a.m. Eastern on Friday. Optimal viewing occurs near 3 a.m. Eastern. Simply step outside and gaze upward — no specialized equipment or eclipse glasses are required.

"Clear skies should provide perfect viewing conditions," explained Shannon Schmoll, who directs Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University. European and African viewers may face challenges due to moonset timing. "This eclipse primarily favors North and South America," noted Yale University astronomy specialist Michael Faison.

Should you miss this event, prepare for September 7. Another total lunar eclipse will traverse portions of Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe. American viewers will await their next opportunity in March 2026.

History of eclipses

Throughout millennia, societies have observed and decoded lunar eclipses. Ancient peoples possessed greater celestial knowledge than contemporary society acknowledges, according to historian Zoe Ortiz. "Their nightly observations provided clearer celestial views than our modern perspective allows," stated Ortiz from the University of North Texas.

Aristotle's observations of Earth's curved shadow on the moon during lunar eclipses provided evidence of Earth's spherical shape. In ancient Mesopotamia, blood-colored moons were interpreted as royal warnings. Their solution involved temporarily installing a substitute ruler during eclipses to shield their king from potential harm. "That's definitely worthy of cinematic adaptation," Ortiz remarked.