🌕✨ Total Lunar Eclipse Alert: March 13-14, 2025!
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth’s shadow completely covers the Moon. 🌍➡️🌕 That’s when the Moon turns red, glowing with a mystical “Blood Moon” hue. 😱 It’s one of the most beautiful sights in the night sky.
🌟 Key Features of the Eclipse:
- Date: Thursday, March 13—Friday, March 14, 2025
- Visible to: Much of the world 🌍 (North & South America, Europe, and Africa)
- Color: The Moon will turn a stunning reddish copper! 🌑❤️
🌍 Why Is This Eclipse So Special?
Here’s why you should be excited:
- Perfect timing for stargazers: The event will be visible at a great time in many places!
- Prime viewing conditions: No need for special equipment to enjoy it! 👀
- Lunar Science: Learn about the Earth-Moon-Sun system as you watch. 🌒🔭
It’s an unmissable event if you want to experience one of nature’s most gorgeous phenomena! 😍
The real action begins when the Moon starts to disappear as it enters the umbra at about 1:09 a.m. EDT. An hour and a half later, entirely within the umbra, the Moon is a ghostly copper color.
🌑 When & Where to Watch
- Great visibility across large parts of the world, including North & South America; partial visibility in Europe, Africa, Australia
- You don’t need a fancy telescope to witness this! Just head outside, look up, and enjoy the view.
- If you want to enhance your experience, binoculars or a small telescope can bring the details into sharper focus. 🔭👁️
Unlike a solar eclipse, the timing of the lunar eclipse is the same for everyone in the viewing area, just adjusted to your time zone. NOTE: For people in the USA, the eclipse starts on Thursday evening, March 13, 2025, and then ends early Friday morning, March 14, 2025.
Also, times are given in UTC as a standard time, but most locations in and near the UTC time zone will miss the start of the eclipse.
| Total Lunar Eclipse Phase | EST | PST | UTC |
| Penumbral Eclipse Begins Not much to see yet! The outer edge of the Earth’s shadow is called the penumbra. It is barely noticeable by the naked eye when the Moon passes through it. The light only dims by a couple of %. It’s not a particularly interesting part of a lunar eclipse. |
11:57 pm (Mar 13) |
8:57 pm (Mar 13) |
03:57:28 (Mar 14)* |
| Partial Eclipse Begins The real action begins when the bright full Moon begins to be covered by Earth’s darker shadow (umbra). The bright full Moon may appear white, but with a fuzzy shadow blocking part of it. |
1:09 am (Mar 14) |
10:09 pm (Mar 13) |
05:09:40 (Mar 14)* |
| Total Eclipse Begins Start of the best part! An hour later, entirely within the umbra, the Moon is a ghostly reddish color. Totality lasts for an hour and a half before the Moon begins to emerge from the central shadow. |
2:26 am (Mar 14) |
11:26 pm (Mar 13) |
06:26:06 (Mar 14)* |
| Maximum Eclipse The peak of the show! This is the peak of the event, at the halfway point. This is when the reddish color will be the deepest. If you only have time to look at one part, this is what to aim for. |
2:58 am (Mar 14) |
11:58 pm (Mar 13) |
06:58:43 (Mar 14) |
| Total Eclipse Ends Start watching the transition back to a white Moon! The total eclipse ends when the edge of the Moon starts to emerge out of the full shadow (umbra) and into the lighter shadow (penumbra). The reddish color begins to disappear. The bright full Moon may appear white, but with a fuzzy shadow blocking part of it. Now the partial eclipse phase begins again. |
3:31 am (Mar 14) |
12:31 am (Mar 14) |
07:31:26 (Mar 14) |
| Partial Eclipse Ends The show is over for most sky watchers! The Moon has moved completely out of the Umbra. If viewing with your naked eye, this is a good place to stop watching. The Moon will be moving through the penumbra, but it is difficult to see this, as the light change is only a few %. |
4:47 am (Mar 14) |
1:47 am (Mar 14) |
08:47:52 (Mar 14) |
| Penumbral Eclipse Ends Not much to see here! The official eclipse is over when the Moon completely leaves the outer edge of the Earth’s shadow. |
6:00 am (Mar 14) |
3:00 am (Mar 14) |
10:00:09 (Mar 14) |
* Eclipse not visible, Moon is below the horizon.
To find out the eclipses times for your local check out timeanddate.com.
What is a lunar eclipse?
Earth’s shadow can be divided into two distinctive parts: the umbra and penumbra.
Earth totally occludes direct solar radiation within the umbra, the central region of the shadow. However, since the Sun’s diameter appears about one-quarter of Earth’s in the lunar sky, the planet only partially blocks direct sunlight within the penumbra, the outer portion of the shadow.
Within the umbra, the central region, the planet totally shields direct sunlight. In contrast, within the penumbra, the outer portion, the sunlight is only partially blocked.
In the diagram, the Sun, Moon, and Earth sizes nor the distances between the bodies are to scale.
🚀 The Science Behind the Red Glow 🔴
Why does the Moon turn red?
The key is Rayleigh scattering. As sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere, shorter wavelengths (like blue light) scatter, leaving the longer wavelengths (like red) to illuminate the Moon. 🌇 This causes the Moon to glow in shades of orange and red. 🧡❤️
It’s a truly magical sight! 🌟
The moon is red during a total lunar eclipse because of the same effect that creates sunrises and sunsets.
Colors of shorter wavelengths like blue are scattered more by Earth’s atmosphere than the longer wavelengths like red. When the sun is low in the sky during sunrise and sunset the light travels through more atmosphere so more of the blue light is scattered leaving more red light. When Earth blocks the light from the sun during a lunar eclipse the edge of Earth has a glow like a sunrise or a sunset from the scattered light in the atmosphere. This is what gives the shadow on the moon during the total eclipse its reddish tint.
During a lunar eclipse, Earth’s atmosphere scatters sunlight. The blue light from the Sun scatters away, and longer-wavelength red, orange, and yellow light pass through, turning our Moon red. *This image is not to scale. Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Scientific Visualization Studio
Eclipse Watching Tips from EarthSky.org
Top Tips for Viewing a Lunar Eclipse
- Don’t just go out once to look. Watch as much of the event from start to finish to see how the moon changes.
- Look at the video showing the phases so you will know what to expect.
- You don’t need any special glasses or protection. It is like looking at a regular full moon.
- You can use binoculars or a telescope to see more details but your eyes are all you need.
* Always wear proper eye protection when viewing a solar eclipse. View details »
Watch the Event Live – Telescope Views & Commentary
Live Broadcast from timeandate.com –
starting at Friday, March 14: 05:00 UTC or 01:00 EDT •
Thursday, March 13 at 10:00 pm PDT
Live Broadcast from the Griffith Observatory –
starting at 8:50 p.m. PDT on Thursday, March 13, 2025
The March 2025 Full Moon Timing 🌕 ⏰
How Long is the Moon 100% Full?
- The Full Moon phase itself lasts only a brief moment — a few minutes when the Moon is exactly opposite the Sun.
- The Full Moon occurs at 2:54 am EDT on Friday, March 14, 2025. At this exact time, the Moon is 100% full.
- The Moon is 100% full for about 1-2 minutes — from 2:54 am EDT to approximately 2:56 am EDT (a very short time, given the precision of the alignment).
- After 2:54 am EDT, the Moon begins to move slightly out of alignment, and it will no longer be exactly opposite the Sun. It will drop to about 99.9% full in the next few minutes, and the full illumination starts to gradually decrease.
After Full Moon – Declining Brightness:
- After this exact moment of Full Moon (when it’s 100% illuminated), the Moon starts to move into the Earth’s shadow.
- At 2:58 am EDT, during the Maximum Eclipse, the Moon is already in the Earth’s shadow and will no longer be fully illuminated. By this point, it will be around 99.9% full and will continue to decrease in brightness as it continues through the eclipse.
So, the timeline looks something like this:
- 2:54 am EDT: Full Moon (100% illumination) for about 1-2 minutes.
- 2:56 am EDT: 99.9% full.
- 2:58 am EDT: The Moon enters the Earth’s shadow, starting the lunar eclipse, and the illumination continues to decline.
- I’m using EDT here instead of UTC because this time zone has a full view of the eclipse.
Beyond the Science…
🌕🐛🌱 Full Worm Moon
The Full Worm Moon marks the March full moon and heralds the arrival of spring. As the ground begins to thaw and worms start to emerge, this moon symbolizes renewal and the awakening of nature. 🌱 It’s the time when the earth’s surface starts to warm, bringing new growth and the beginning of the planting season. The worm represents the first signs of life returning to the soil, while the moon shines bright, lighting up the path to longer days ahead. 🌕🌱
Here are some other names for the March Full Moon:
| Name | Culture/Region | Origin/Meaning |
| Worm Moon | Western (North America) |
Named after the time when the ground begins to thaw, allowing worms to emerge and signal the arrival of spring. |
| Crow Moon | Native American (Northeast) |
Reflects the time when crows, often the first birds of spring, are heard cawing as they return. |
| Sap Moon | Native American (Eastern Woodlands) |
Refers to the time when sap from sugar maples begins to flow, marking the start of maple syrup season. |
| Sugar Moon | Native American (Eastern Woodlands) |
Another name tied to the maple syrup harvest, where sap runs and is collected for making syrup. |
| Crust Moon | Native American (Various Tribes) |
Refers to the frozen, crusty surface of snow, which is beginning to melt, signaling the thaw of spring. |
| Chaste Moon | Medieval Europe | A Christian name related to the time of year when fasting and Lent often took place, representing renewal and purity. |
| Lenten Moon | Christian Tradition | Named for the timing of the Full Moon near the beginning of Lent, the Christian period of fasting and reflection. |
| Storm Moon | Anglo-Saxon (English) | Refers to the stormy weather typical of March in northern Europe, often bringing powerful winds and rain. |
| Little Lent Moon | Old European Tradition | Often used in historical European contexts, this name aligns with the start of Lent, a time of fasting and prayer. |
| Egg Moon | Western Europe and North America |
Linked to the time when birds begin to lay eggs, a sign of spring’s arrival and the renewal of life. |
🌕🔴🌑 Blood Moon
A Blood Moon occurs during a total lunar eclipse, when the Earth casts its shadow on the Moon, turning it a striking red hue. 🔴 This moon is often seen as a mysterious and powerful event. The deep, rusty color symbolizes the cosmic battle between light and shadow. The new moon represents the shadow as the Earth’s atmosphere bends sunlight, filtering only the red wavelengths, which paint the Moon’s surface. 🌑🌕 The Blood Moon is a symbol of transformation, where old cycles end, and new beginnings are ushered in under its hauntingly beautiful glow. 🌕🔴
🌕 Astrological Vibes: A Time for Reflection 🌑
Eclipses are often seen as times of clearing energy, so it’s a good moment to let go of old patterns and invite in fresh, powerful opportunities for growth. 🌿💫 Whether you’re manifesting big dreams or refining your goals, this eclipse brings cosmic support to help you align with your true path.
🌟 A Shift in Perspective: Embrace New Beginnings
Despite the intensity that can come with the darkening of the Moon, this eclipse offers a positive shift. Astrologers say that lunar eclipses are like cosmic reset buttons. Even though the event marks an ending, it also marks an opportunity for transformation. In Virgo, this transformation is about becoming more aligned with your true purpose, focusing on what brings you inner peace, and making space for what you truly want in life.
Just as ancient peoples believed that lunar eclipses connected them to the divine and marked times for reflection and growth, this lunar eclipse can inspire you to step into your power and move forward with confidence and purpose. This is a time to trust that the universe is helping you clear the path to personal growth and healing, bringing you closer to balance.
🌠 A Call to Action: Look Up and Embrace Change
As we experience the March 2025 Lunar Eclipse, take a moment to #LookUp at the sky and honor the mystical connection we share with the past. Ancient cultures saw the eclipse as a sacred event, one that brought cosmic energy to the Earth. Today, we can use this same energy to guide us through personal growth and transformation.
This eclipse in Virgo calls us to take action—whether it’s addressing our health, organizing our surroundings, or finding a deeper sense of clarity. It’s a reminder to trust the process, knowing that as things are released, new opportunities are being created. As you look up at the Moon, think of it as a symbol of the universe’s ability to bring clarity and healing into our lives.
🌕 A Positive Message: Rebirth and Renewal
This lunar eclipse is a time for rebirth. Just as the Moon will go through its temporary dark phase, we too are invited to embrace our own moments of reflection and renewal. The eclipse provides an opportunity for us to become better versions of ourselves, to let go of outdated beliefs and habits, and to set our intentions for a new chapter.
So, as you watch the March 2025 lunar eclipse, remember that the cosmic energy is on your side, helping you let go of what no longer serves you and guiding you towards a brighter future.
The world is chaotic, so let’s hope you can pause and do a personal reset, if only for a moment.
CREDITS: NASA, eclipsewise.com, earthsky.org, timeanddate.com, and greatamericaneclipse.com, Ficazo, Eledraws (Eleonore Bem), In the Sky.
