Blood Moon 2025: First Total Lunar Eclipse to Occur on March 14

This total lunar eclipse will last for about two hours, which is much longer than a solar eclipse.

A total lunar eclipse, commonly known as a blood moon, will be visible in the sky on the night of March 13 and 14. This will be the first total lunar eclipse since 2022 in which the moon will turn dark red as it passes through the Earth's shadow.

According to astronomers, this total lunar eclipse will occur on the descending note of the moon when the Earth, sun and moon come in the same line and the Earth's shadow covers the moon. But the surprising thing is why the moon appears red instead of disappearing completely.

According to scientists, the Earth's atmosphere refracts the sunlight. Blue light is easily scattered, while red light travels a long distance. During a lunar eclipse, the atmosphere around the Earth transmits the red light of the sun to the moon, which is why the moon appears reddish.

In general terms, during a total lunar eclipse, the Earth  blocks the sunlight from reaching the moon, however, some of the light passing through the Earth's atmosphere reaches the moon, in which the blue light is scattered and the red light is reflected by the moon.

This eclipse will be visible on the night side of the Earth. The best view will be in North and South America, while parts of Europe and Africa will be able to see it at moonset. In Asia, including Pakistan, this event will occur at moonrise. Therefore, depending on local conditions, some parts of the eclipse may be visible or not. 

This eclipse will occur during the day in Pakistan therefore, the total eclipse will not be visible, so some parts of the eclipse can be seen before moonset in the morning.

Phases:

The eclipse will occur in five distinct phases:

1. Penumbral Eclipse: The moon enters Earth's outer shadow, beginning to dim.
2. Partial Eclipse: As the moon moves further into the shadow, a reddish hue begins to appear on its surface.
3. Total Eclipse: The moon is completely in Earth’s umbra (the darkest part of its shadow), causing it to take on the dramatic red color.
4. Partial Eclipse (again): The shadow begins to retreat, and the red color gradually fades.
5. Penumbral Eclipse (again): The moon leaves the shadow entirely and returns to its normal brightness.

Unlike a solar eclipse, it is completely safe to view a lunar eclipse with the naked eye. No special equipment will be required, but the view can be even more spectacular with binoculars or a telescope.

This total lunar eclipse will last for about two hours, which is much longer than a solar eclipse. A solar eclipse lasts for minutes because the moon's shadow on the Earth is very small, but in a lunar eclipse, the Earth's shadow is larger, so this scene can be seen for a longer time.

Clear skies are very important to view the eclipse. There may be clouds in some areas of Pakistan in March, so plan to watch the eclipse. Therefore, before planning to view the eclipse, be sure to check the weather forecast.