A rare total lunar eclipse, also known as a blood moon, occurred last night, offering the first opportunity for humans to witness this spectacle in over two years. The event, visible from various parts of the world including the Americas, western Africa and Europe, marked the alignment of the sun, Earth, and moon.
During a lunar eclipse, sunlight passes through the Earth’s atmosphere before reaching the moon, scattering shorter wavelengths of blue light more readily than longer wavelengths of red light. This phenomenon causes the typically bright white face of the moon to take on a reddish hue, creating the signature “blood moon” effect.
The total lunar eclipse was most visible in North America, Western Africa, and parts of Europe, with local stargazing groups and planetariums hosting watch parties for those who missed it. Anyone who did not witness the event can look forward to the next total lunar eclipse in September, which will be visible from Asia and parts of Europe, Africa, and Australia.
According to NASA, there will be another total lunar eclipse in March 2024, followed by a partial lunar eclipse in August 2026. The universal fascination with celestial events like this one has drawn people together worldwide, participating in an activity as old as human history – gazing up at the night sky.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/14/science/space/blood-moon-lunar-eclipse-photos.html