It's been a few years since we've seen a total lunar eclipse from Tucson, but we get a nice one this month! It will begin late in the evening on Thursday the 13th, peaks just before midnight, and ends early in the morning on Friday the 14th. As the Moon enters Earth's umbra (the darkest part of the shadow), it will take on a dim reddish glow, leading to the commonly used term "blood moon". This red color is light filtering through Earth's atmosphere, which we usually see at sunrise and sunset. You can expect something like the photo at right, taken during a similar eclipse in 2007.
Here is the schedule:
- Penumbral eclipse starts: Mar 13, 8:57pm
- Partial eclipse starts: Mar 13, 10:09pm
- Total eclipse starts: Mar 13, 11:26pm
- Maximum eclipse: Mar 13, 11:58pm
- Total eclipse ends: Mar 14, 12:31am
- Partial eclipse ends: Mar 14, 1:47am
- Penumbral eclipse ends: Mar 14, 3:00am
Penumbral phase is very subtle, just slightly dimmer than a normal full moon, as the Earth is blocking only some of the sunlight from the Moon. Then partial is more noticeable as the Moon begins to enter Earth's umbra, where all of the light is blocked. It will look like someone has taken a bite out of the Moon! And finally when the Moon is completely in the umbra we will see the "blood moon" effect, as mentioned earlier. If we were on the Moon, we could see all the sunrises and sunsets around the world at the same time!
A lunar eclipse is something that can be enjoyed either with the naked eye or with a telescope. So however you view the eclipse, enjoy!
Science Snacks – Space Bites – All About Lunar Eclipses
Discover how and why Lunar Eclipses occur!
Note: This video references the penumbral eclipse of November 2020.