If you’ve enjoyed the last couple of celestial shows, there is another one on the horizon.
A total lunar eclipse will transform the moon to have a reddish orange hue in the early morning hours on Tuesday, March 3.
The celestial event will be visible across North and Central America, far western South America, Asia and Australia. However, the eclipse will not be visible from Africa or Europe.
According to NASA, the eclipse involves several phases as the moon passes through Earth’s shadow. No special equipment is needed to view the event, though experts recommend finding a dark location away from city lights for the clearest view.
NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador to Utah Patrick Wiggins previously released a press release noting, “The show will start officially just before 2 a.m. MST when the moon enters Earth’s rather faint and fuzzy outer shadow.”
Wiggins’ statement continued, “But the main event will start at 4:04 a.m. when the entire moon will be engulfed in the dark part of Earth’s shadow and totality begins,” as previously reported by the Deseret News.
Why the moon turns red
The “blood moon” effect is caused by the same atmospheric phenomenon that makes the sky blue and sunsets red. As Earth blocks direct sunlight, the only light reaching the lunar surface is filtered through Earth’s atmosphere. This process strips away shorter wavelengths (blue) and allows longer wavelengths (red) to pass through, projecting a red glow onto the moon, according to NASA.
Will weather impact the view in Utah?
Weather will play a role in how visible the blood moon will be for observers.
Across the western United States, skies are expected to be clear or partly cloudy. In Salt Lake City, moongazers may face some obstacles, as cloudy skies are predicted in the early morning hours Tuesday, according to KSL. For those in southern Utah, skies are expected to be clear.
The next lunar eclipse
Lunar eclipses typically occur two to three times a year, according to NASA. These celestial events are either total — where the alignment is just right so the entire moon will fall under Earth’s shadow, like what will happen Tuesday — or partial. A partial eclipse occurs when the Earth and sun are slightly out of alignment, preventing the moon from passing through the entirety of Earth’s darkest shadow.
If you miss Tuesday’s event, you will have to wait awhile for the next total eclipse:
- Aug. 28, 2026: A partial lunar eclipse will occur.
- Dec. 31, 2028: The next total lunar eclipse will take place on New Year’s Eve.