Nearly the entire Western Hemisphere will be treated to a total lunar eclipse next month, with the moon taking on a red hue as part of a remarkable celestial show.
Nearly the entire Western Hemisphere will be treated to a total lunar eclipse next month, with the moon taking on a red hue as part of a remarkable celestial show.
The lunar eclipse will take place in mid-March, and will be visible in most of the United States, including in the skies over the Chicago area.
Here’s what you’ll need to know.
When will the eclipse take place?
According to NASA, the lunar eclipse will begin late on the evening of Thursday, March 13 and will reach totality on the morning of Friday, March 14. Needless to say, you’ll need to stay up late or wake up extremely early to catch the show.
What happens during a lunar eclipse?
During a lunar eclipse, the moon passes into the Earth’s shadow. In a total lunar eclipse, like the one that will occur in mid-March, the moon passes into the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, which is known as the “umbra.”
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When this happens, the moon takes on an eerie red or orange hue, leading some to call it the “Blood Moon.”
Why does the moon appear red or orange during an eclipse?
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The sun’s light appears to be white, but it’s actually made up of a wide variety of colors, which diffuse or travel more directly through the Earth’s atmosphere, depending on which color light is being seen.
During daylight hours, the sky appears blue because blue light from the sun diffuses more easily in the Earth’s atmosphere, according to NASA scientists.
Late in the day when the sun’s light isn’t traveling as directly through the Earth’s atmosphere, the light tends to take on more of an orange or red hue because that type of light travels more directly than others, allowing it to overpower the other types of light.
The same phenomenon happens during a lunar eclipse. The light that isn’t blocked by the Earth is filtered through the planet’s atmosphere, and as a result the more directly traveling red light is what is allowed to pass through the atmosphere and appear on the moon’s surface, giving it a red or orange hue.
When will the eclipse take full effect?
According to NASA, a penumbral eclipse will begin at approximately 10:57 pm. Central time on March 13. The moon will begin to dim around this time, but it will only be faintly noticeable at first.
Just after midnight a partial eclipse will begin, and it will appear that a “bite” is being taken out of the moon as the early morning hours move along. This will grow during this time until the moon is completely covered up.
At that point, the total lunar eclipse will begin at 1:26 a.m. Central time. The moon will appear reddish or orange in hue during this time, and can be seen with the naked eye or via a telescope.
The total eclipse is expected to last for just over one hour until 2:31 a.m., with the partial eclipse continuing until 3:47 a.m., according to NASA.
Where is the best place to see the eclipse?
Since it will be completely dark across most of the United States, the eclipse will be visible if skies are clear in the entire lower 48 states and in eastern Alaska. The full effect of the eclipse is better observed in darker locations, however.
Telescopes and longer-exposure cameras can help to enhance the view, according to the agency.
