Total lunar eclipse: When and how to watch the Blood moon in the US |
Skygazers it is time to set reminders and alarms, because tonight, you will get a chance to see the moon turning red, as a total lunar eclipse will be visible across the United States late Thursday (Mar 13) night into early Friday (Mar 14) morning.
Don’t miss the rare chance to soak in the glory of the Blood Moon shining in the night sky.
What is the blood moon?
Blood moon is in fact a nickname used to describe the reddish appearance of the moon during a total lunar eclipse. This phenomenon occurs when the Earth, sun, and moon align, with the Earth positioned in the middle, casting a shadow on the moon.
What time does the lunar eclipse start tonight?
The hours of the lunar eclipse will vary by the time zone. The eclipse will happen between 11.57 p.m. EDT and reach its end by 6.00 a.m. EDT. The eclipse will be visible across most of North and South America.
If you live in the United States, the total lunar eclipse will last just over six hours, beginning with a penumbral eclipse starting from 11:57 p.m. EDT, when the moon will enter Earth’s fuzzy outer shadow, its penumbra, and lose its brightness. At 1:09 a.m. EDT, the partial phase of the eclipse will begin, as the moon begins to enter Earth’s darker umbral shadow and starts to turn red.
The best part of this blood moon is to see the totality, which occurs at 2.26 a.m. EDT when the entire moon is in the Earth’s umbra. You can see that the Moon is in a coppery red hue. NASA recommends to use binoculars or a telescope for a better view. If you want to take a photo, use a camera on a tripod with exposures of at least several seconds.
This will last for 65 minutes, until 3.31 a.m. EDT. After that, the red colour will start to fade. “It looks as if a bite is being taken out of the opposite side of the lunar disk from before,” NASA says. The spectacle then reverses, and a partial phase will be visible from 3:31 to 4:47 a.m. EDT and it will enter the penumbral phase from 4:47 to 6 a.m. EDT when the eclipse will be over.
How to watch the blood moon?
You don’t need any special equipment to view the lunar eclipse, says NASA. For an enhanced view, you can opt for a binocular or a telescope. The ideal way to watch the spectacle is a dark environment. It’s best to go away from the city lights for the best view.
(Pic courtesy: iStock)
