NEW YORK — Prepare for an astronomical spectacle as a total lunar eclipse is set to turn the moon red from late Thursday into Friday morning across the Western Hemisphere. This celestial event promises prime viewing for those in North America and South America, while viewers in parts of Africa and Europe might catch a glimpse.
A lunar eclipse, a captivating alignment phenomenon, occurs when the moon, Earth, and sun line up in such a way that Earth’s shadow partially or completely obscures the moon. When only a part of the moon enters Earth’s shadow, it’s known as a partial lunar eclipse, which appears as if a shadow is taking a bite out of the moon. In the case of a total lunar eclipse, the full moon becomes immersed in Earth’s shadow and takes on a reddish hue—thanks to light bending through Earth’s atmosphere.
According to NASA, eclipses—both solar and lunar—occur four to seven times a year. A partial lunar eclipse could be seen across the Americas, Africa, and Europe last September. The last time a total lunar eclipse occurred was in 2022.
For those interested in witnessing this “blood moon,” the eclipse will be visible for about an hour starting around 2:26 a.m. Eastern on Friday. The prime time for viewing is expected to be around 3 a.m. Eastern. Stargazers simply need to step outside and look up, as no special tools like eclipse glasses are needed.
“As long as the weather is clear, this phenomenon should be quite visible,” explained Shannon Schmoll, director of Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University. In some parts of Europe and Africa, the moon’s setting might make the eclipse less visible.
“This event particularly favors North and South America,” noted Michael Faison, an astronomy expert from Yale University. In case you miss this event, make a note for September 7, when another total lunar eclipse will be visible across parts of Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe. The Americas’ next experience with such an event comes in March 2026.
Lunar eclipses have intrigued civilizations for thousands of years. Ancient observers were remarkably knowledgeable about celestial events, explained historian Zoe Ortiz. “With no pollution, they had an unencumbered view of the sky, which gave them insights that can surprise us today,” added Ortiz from the University of North Texas.
The earliest known accounts, such as Aristotle’s observation of Earth’s curved shadow during a lunar eclipse, offered proof that our planet is round. Meanwhile, ancient Mesopotamians regarded a blood-red moon as a foreboding sign for the king, prompting them to place a substitute king on the throne during the event to deflect any potential bad luck.
Ortiz added, “It’s a storyline straight out of a movie script.”