The Moon will pass through the Earth's shadow early Friday morning, creating a total lunar eclipse visible throughout North and South America.
The show begins at 1:09 a.m. with a partial eclipse as the Moon moves into the darkest part of the Earth's shadow, the umbra. It will be completely in the umbra by 2:26 a.m. beginning the total eclipse lasting just over an hour.
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The darkest and deepest color appears at maximum eclipse at 2:59 a.m., when the Moon is closest to the center of the umbra. My favorite moments to observe a lunar eclipse are at this peak time, along with the points where the Moon is half in and half out of the umbra, at 1:47 a.m. and 3:31 a.m.
The show is over by 4:47 a.m. as the Moon moves out of the umbra, ending the partial eclipse
Partial eclipse begins 🌒 | 1:09 a.m. |
| 50% obscured 🌓 | 1:47 a.m. |
Total eclipse begins 🟠 | 2:26 a.m. |
Maximum eclipse🔴 | 2:58 a.m. |
Total eclipse ends 🟠 | 3:31 a.m. |
50% obscured 🌗 | 4:10 a.m. |
| Partial eclipse ends 🌘 | 4:47 a.m. |
A penumbral eclipse will also take place during the hour before and after the partial eclipse as the Moon passes through the lighter part of Earth's shadow. This subtle dimming is minimal, making it difficult to notice any change.
Eclipse color: Orange or red?
While we won’t know the exact color of the eclipsed Moon until it happens, there’s a good chance it could take on a deep red hue, depending on atmospheric conditions at the time.
The light we see from the eclipsed Moon has passed through Earth’s atmosphere twice—first as it bends around the planet while the Earth moves between the Sun and Moon, and again as it reflects back to our eyes. That light is filtered as shorter violet to blue wavelengths and scattered by water molecules and other particles, allowing longer orange to red wavelengths to dominate.
Smoke particles from wildfires throughout North and South Carolina could increase that scattering effect, leaving behind a deeper, redder color.
What to look for
- During the two points in the partial eclipse when half the Moon is obsured, look for the curvature of the Earth litereally projected onto the (also curved) surface of the Moon.
- Notice the lterminator, the line between dark and light, is much more diffuse, fuzzier when viewing the phases of the Moon. This caused by light passing through Earth's atmosphere.
- As the total eclipse begins, notice how the Moon nearly dissappears our eyes (and cameras) adjust to the dimmer light returned from the Moon as it enters the umbra.
- Look for the landing locations of the recent Blue Ghost mission sent back the first HD images from the circular Mare Crisium (Sea of Crises) in the upper right and the south pole where the Intuitive Machines Athena robotic lander was not as succesful, tipping over after landing, ending its mission as batteries ran out a few hours later.
Weather outlook
Unlike solar eclipses which require observers to be in a narrow path to experience totality, if the Moon is the sky during the eclipse, you can experience it, weather permitting of course.
Even if partly cloudy conditions continue into the early hours of Friday, totality lasts for over an hour and the overall eclipse for more than 3.5 hours, giving us plenty of time to experience it.
WRAL's meterologists will be keeping an eye on conditions all week, so check back Thursday evening.
The next lunar eclipse will be on March 3, 2026. but will be interrupted halfway through totality by moonset.