Umbraphile alert — Utah, along with the rest of North America, is set to have prime seats on the night of March 13 and through the early morning hours of March 14 as the first lunar eclipse since 2022 will take place, one of three total lunar eclipse events lined up for 2025 and 2026.
The so-called “Blood Moon” event will occur March 13 from 9:57 p.m. MDT until March 14 at 4 a.m., with the moon in totality from 12:26 a.m. MDT until 1:31 a.m. MDT.
Most areas of North and South America will be able to watch, weather depending, the totality of the lunar eclipse. According to a data analysis from Time and Date reported by Space.com, 13.41% of the world’s population, just over 1 billion people, will be able to view all of the total phase.
Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses occur at the same time regardless of geographic location. Also, lunar eclipses can be viewed without eye protection and NASA suggests binoculars or a telescope to enhance the view. And, the best viewing conditions are in a dark environment away from bright lights.
What is going on during a lunar eclipse?
A lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, Earth and moon align so that the moon passes into Earth’s shadow, according to NASA. In a total lunar eclipse, the entire moon falls within the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, called the umbra. When the moon is within the umbra, it appears red-orange. Lunar eclipses are sometimes called “Blood Moons” because of that phenomenon.
The moon appears red or orange during a lunar eclipse because any sunlight that’s not blocked by Earth is filtered through a thick slice of the planet’s atmosphere on its way to the lunar surface, according to NASA. It’s as if all the world’s sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the moon.
What to expect
Here’s a breakdown from Patch.com for viewers in the path of totality:
Penumbral phase: The moon enters Earth’s fuzzy outer shadow and loses brightness. This phase lasts from 9:57 p.m. MDT on March 13 until 11:09 p.m.
Partial phase: The moon begins to enter Earth’s darker umbral shadow and begins to turn red from 11:09 p.m. to 12:26 a.m. on the 14th.
Totality: The entire moon is within Earth’s shadow from 12:26 a.m. to 1:31 a.m.
Partial phase: The spectacle reverses with another partial phase from 1:31 a.m. to 2:47 a.m.
Penumbral phase: From 2:47 a.m. to 4 a.m., the moon will exit Earth’s shadow.