First Total Lunar Eclipse Since 2022 Is Tonight: How To Watch In MD

MARYLAND — The first full lunar eclipse since 2022 will shine overnight in Maryland skies. Will the weather cooperate for optimal viewing?

In a total lunar eclipse, the moon moves into the inner part of Earth’s shadow, or umbra, bathing the moon in darkness. According to NASA, some of the sunlight passing through our planet’s atmosphere reaches the moon’s surface, giving it the trademark color. A partial eclipse occurs when only part of Earth’s shadow covers the moon.

The Penumbral phase starts at 11:57 p.m. Eastern. All told, the celestial event goes until dawn. The overnight weather forecast for the Baltimore area calls for mostly cloudy skies with a low around 44 degrees.

During the eclipse, the moon will look dark red or orange for about 65 minutes, but the event will last just over six hours.

When To See The Lunar Eclipse

The "blood moon" will be visible for about an hour starting at 2:26 a.m. Eastern on Friday morning. Peak viewing will be close to 3 a.m. Eastern.

To see it, venture outside and look up — no need for eclipse glasses or any special equipment.

“As long as the sky is clear, you should be able to see it,” said Shannon Schmoll, director of Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University.

The United States will have good visibility of the event. “This is really an eclipse for North and South America,” said astronomy expert Michael Faison from Yale University.

Here’s what to expect:

Penumbral phase: The moon enters Earth’s fuzzy outer shadow and loses brightness. This phase lasts from 11:57 p.m. EDT on March 13 until 1:09 a.m. on the 14th.

Partial phase: The moon begins to enter Earth’s darker umbral shadow and begins to turn red from 1:09 a.m. to 2:26 a.m.

Totality: The entire moon is within Earth’s shadow from 2:26 a.m. to 3:31 a.m.

Partial phase: The spectacle reverses with another partial phase from 3:31 a.m. to 4:47 a.m.

Penumbral phase: From 4:47 a.m. to 6 a.m., the moon will exit Earth’s shadow.

For the best views of the total lunar eclipse, get as far away from urban light pollution as possible. The entire eclipse is visible with the naked eye, but backyard telescopes and binoculars help skywatchers see the movement of Earth’s shadow across the surface of the moon.

Another total lunar eclipse will occur overnight Sept. 7-8, 2025, with the full corn moon but most people in North America won’t be able to see it, according to NASA. A March 3, 2026 total lunar eclipse will be visible across the western U.S.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.