Who doesn’t love watching celestial events, right? Whether they occur frequently or once in a lifetime, each one holds its own charm. Some events grace our skies regularly, while others reappear for centuries or even millennia. But one thing is certain—they never fail to amaze us! This time, the total lunar eclipse of March, 2025, is set to captivate skywatchers once again with its breathtaking beauty.
What is a lunar eclipse?
Image credit: NASA
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth, Moon, and Sun align in such a way that the Earth comes in between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow on the Moon’s surface. This shadow consists of two parts: the umbra (the darker and central region) and the penumbra (the lighter, outside region). Depending on how the Moon passes through these shadows, a lunar eclipse can be of three types.
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Penumbral lunar eclipse
A penumbral lunar eclipse takes place when the Moon passes through our Earth’s penumbral shadow. It creates a faint darkening of the Moon‘s light, which is normally quite difficult to see with the naked eye. When the entire disc of the moon lies within the penumbra of Earth, it‘s referred to as the total penumbral eclipse, casting a weak shadow on its surface.
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Partial lunar eclipse
credits: NASA/JPL Education
A partial lunar eclipse happens when a fraction of the Moon enters Earth’s umbra or the darkest region of its shadow. In this type of event, a portion of the Moon that enters the main part of Earth’s shadow — or umbra — looks much darker, and the other half that gets into the region of the semi-shadow, or penumbra, appears slightly brighter. This causes the moon to look as if a piece has been bitten out of it.
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Total lunar eclipse
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the whole part of the moon is covered under the Earth’s umbra for a few minutes. This is the most spectacular type of lunar eclipse, as it causes the moon to appear reddish in colour.
So get set! The eclipse on March 13-14, 2025, will be a total lunar eclipse, meaning the Moon will glow a stunning dark reddish colour—a sight you won’t want to miss!
Why does the moon turn red?
Interestingly, the moon doesn’t completely vanish during a total lunar eclipse. But why does this happen?What makes it turn red instead of simply fading into darkness? The main reason behind this phenomenon is:
Rayleigh scattering
The orange and red colours of sunrises and sunsets, who does not love them, right? Rayleigh scattering, the same phenomenon that colours our skies so vibrantly, is the reason the moon is reddish during an eclipse. As we know, during a lunar eclipse, the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon and gets in the way of direct sunlight. But some sunlight manages to go around the edges of our planet. Before it reaches the Moon, this light travels through Earth’s atmosphere, where the shorter wavelengths like blue get scattered away, and longer wavelengths—red and orange continue their journey. When this light illuminates the Moon, it makes it glow with these warm colours, thus the reddish colour.
When and where to watch the eclipse?
Looking forward to witnessing the total lunar eclipse on March 13-14, 2025? Hold on to that excitement—here’s everything you need to know before this big day takes place!
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Why is this eclipse so special?
A total lunar eclipse occurs only once every 2.5 years, making it a rare and breathtaking event. The March 13-14, 2025, eclipse will be the first total lunar eclipse since November 2022—so don’t miss this chance to experience the Moon in its red glow!
Want to know more about how these eclipses are predicted? Click here!
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Where to watch?
The total lunar eclipse, March 2025 will be visible in Europe, most of Asia, North America, South America, Australia, and parts of Africa. However, unfortunately, the total lunar eclipse won’t be visible from India.
You can visit timeanddate.com to know more about eclipse timings for your location.
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What to expect?
credit: NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio.
Since this is a total lunar eclipse, you’ll see the Moon turn completely red—but the process leading up to it is just as fascinating! Here’s what will be visible:
- Penumbral Phase – The Moon will slowly dim as it enters the Earth‘s penumbral shadow. The effect is very small but easily observable.
- Partial Lunar Eclipse – A part of the moon will start appearing darker as it begins to move into the Earth’s umbra.
- Total Lunar Eclipse – Once the Moon is entirely covered by the umbra, it will appear reddish in colour, for up to 65 minutes.
- Ending Phases – The Moon will slowly become brighter as it moves back through the penumbral and partial eclipse phases, concluding this space spectacle.
Best way to experience the total lunar eclipse of March 2025
Don’t worry, lunar eclipses, unlike solar eclipses, pose no threat to your naked eyes! You won’t need protective gear to view this beautiful celestial event. However, using equipment like telescopes or binoculars will enhance the features of the moon. Choose a location away from the city lights for the best viewing conditions, settle in, and enjoy the breathtaking transformation of the Moon!
Want to discover some fascinating facts about the Moon? Don’t wait, click here!
Next upcoming eclipses of 2025
Can’t watch the total lunar eclipse of March 13-14? Don’t worry, more eclipses await you! Here are some more eclipses you can try for this year:
- Partial Solar Eclipse on 29th March, 2025
- Total Lunar Eclipse of 7th-8th September, 2025
- Partial Solar Eclipse on 21st September, 2025
So, mark your calendars as this phenomenon occurs! Stay tuned for clear skies in your region, and prepare to witness the magic. And no matter if you watch with the unaided eye, a telescope, or binoculars, the total lunar eclipse of March 2025, will be one of the greatest celestial spectacles of the year! Hope you all have clear skies for the eclipse!
Enjoyed reading this? Consider reading:- 9 Spectacular Astronomical Events in 2025
- Interesting facts about the moon. Facts of Moon, Lunar Eclipse, Chandrayaan-1 mission – Stargazing Mumbai
- Moon Tides 101: The Magic of Moon’s Gravitational Pull On Earth
