SAEDNEWS: A total lunar eclipse — a “blood moon” — will sweep across the Western Hemisphere on the night of March 13 into the morning of March 14, 2025. Here’s what it is, how to watch it, the exact stage times, why the Moon turns red, and what else you can spot in the sky that night.
A lunar eclipse happens when the Sun, Earth and Moon line up so the Moon moves through Earth’s shadow. In a total lunar eclipse the entire lunar disk passes into Earth’s darkest shadow — the umbra — and the Moon takes on a red–orange tint. Because that reddish color recalls blood, total lunar eclipses are often called “blood moons.” The phenomenon is caused by sunlight filtering and refracting through Earth’s atmosphere before it reaches the Moon.
Alignment of the Moon, Earth, and Sun during a lunar eclipse
No special optics are required: a lunar eclipse is perfectly safe to watch with the naked eye. However, binoculars or a small telescope will bring out more detail. Choose a dark location away from bright lights for the best view. This March 2025 eclipse will be visible across the Western Hemisphere, meaning large swathes of the Americas will be well placed to see it.
Map showing where the March 13-14, 2025 lunar eclipse is visible. Contours mark the edge of the visibility region at eclipse contact times, labeled in UTC.
Totality begins at about 06:26 UTC (2:26 a.m. EDT / 11:26 p.m. PDT) for many viewers — check the precise timing for your location.
Below are the key stages and approximate times (UTC / EDT / PDT) so you can plan your viewing or photography:
Milestone | UTC | EDT | PDT | What You’ll See |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Penumbral eclipse begins | 03:57 | 11:57 p.m. (Mar 13) | 8:57 p.m. (Mar 13) | Moon enters Earth’s penumbra; very subtle dimming, often hard to spot. |
Partial eclipse begins | 05:09 | 1:09 a.m. (Mar 14) | 10:09 p.m. (Mar 13) | A dark “bite” appears on the lunar disk as the Moon moves into the umbra. |
Totality begins | 06:26 | 2:26 a.m. (Mar 14) | 11:26 p.m. (Mar 13) | Entire Moon inside the umbra, glowing coppery red. Best for binoculars, telescopes, and long-exposure photos. |
Totality ends | 07:31 | 3:31 a.m. (Mar 14) | 12:31 a.m. (Mar 14) | Red tint fades as Moon begins to leave the umbra. |
Partial eclipse ends | 08:47 | 4:47 a.m. (Mar 14) | 1:47 a.m. (Mar 14) | Only faint penumbral shading remains; umbral bite is gone. |
Penumbral eclipse ends | 10:00 | 6:00 a.m. (Mar 14) | 3:00 a.m. (Mar 14) | Eclipse fully over. |
The reddening is the same physical effect that makes sunsets red. Sunlight contains all colors, but Earth’s atmosphere preferentially scatters shorter (blue) wavelengths and allows longer (red) wavelengths to pass through. During a lunar eclipse, sunlight that passes through Earth’s atmosphere is bent into the umbra and projected onto the Moon — essentially the planet’s collective sunrises and sunsets are cast onto the lunar surface, giving it a coppery or reddish hue.
While watching the Moon, scan nearby skies: as the Moon dims, fainter stars and some planets become easier to spot. For the March 2025 eclipse the Moon will start in Leo (under the lion’s hind paw) and later move into Virgo, so look for constellation landmarks. Bright planets such as Jupiter and Mars should be visible in the western sky that night, and the dimming lunar glare can make surrounding constellations pop. Other eclipse-night phenomena to enjoy include subtle color changes across the landscape, the emergence of brighter stars, and—if you’re photographing—longer exposures that can capture both the reddened Moon and starry background.
