Topline Did you see the spectacular “blood moon” total lunar eclipse? Late on Thursday night and into the early hours of Friday, the full “Worm Moon” turned a beautiful reddish color as it drifted through Earth’s massive umbral shadow in space. Key Facts On March 13-14, 2025, the first total lunar eclipse since 2022 occurred, with North and South America getting the best views. The moon slowly dimmed as it entered the umbra, Earth’s central shadow in space, becoming a stunning copper-red orb in the night sky.
The best total lunar eclipse visible in North America until 2029, those in the eastern half of the continent were able to follow the eclipse mostly after midnight, while those in the western half had a more convenient view in the “prime time” hours of the evening. Observers in Western Europe saw the moon slip into Earth’s shadow just before moonset, while those in New Zealand witnessed the moon rising already eclipsed. Color Of The Moon During the eclipse, the moon traveled through the northern half of the Earth’s shadow.
Consequently, from the Northern Hemisphere, the moon’s southern limb — closest to the center of Earth’s shadow — became rather dark during totality, while the northern limb was a lighter pinkish, orangey. The moon glowed red during totality due to sunlight refracting through Earth’s atmosphere. The phenomenon, often called a “blood moon,” occurs because Earth’s atmosphere scatters shorter-wavelength blue and green lig.
