A total lunar eclipse will occur on Tuesday, March 3, which will be the last chance to see a ‘blood moon’ until 2029. Skywatchers in Australia and New Zealand are in a perfect position to watch this rare and beautiful event in the evening without staying up late.
The eclipse will begin when the full Moon slowly starts moving into Earth’s shadow. This first stage, called the partial phase, will last about 75 minutes. During this time, a dark shadow will gradually cover the bright moon. After that, the moon will be fully inside Earth’s shadow for about one hour. This stage is known as ‘totality’.
During totality, the moon will turn a reddish color, which is why it is often called a “blood moon”. The red color happens because sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere before reaching the moon. The atmosphere blocks most of the blue light and allows red light to pass through. This same process, known as Rayleigh scattering, is also the reason why the sky looks blue during the day.
After totality ends, it will take another 75 minutes for the moon to slowly move out of Earth’s shadow and return to its normal bright color. The entire event will take a few hours to complete.
Lunar eclipses do not happen every month because the moon’s orbit is slightly tilted compared to Earth’s orbit around the sun. For the next few eclipses, the moon will only partly enter Earth’s shadow. The next total lunar eclipse will take place on January 1, 2029.
No special equipment is needed to watch this event. Anyone can simply look up at the sky if the weather is clear. It is a rare and exciting chance to see one of nature’s most amazing sights.
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