When can people in Ohio see the total lunar eclipse?

COLUMBUS, Ohio — For the first time in three years, a total lunar eclipse will grace the night sky later this week.

The eclipse, also known as a “blood moon,” will occur in the early hours of Friday, March 14.

The event is set to commence at midnight, with the onset of a partial eclipse at approximately 1 a.m., as confirmed by NASA. Totality is expected to commence at about 2:30 a.m. and extend for around one hour.

The final phase of the eclipse will end around 6 a.m.

It does not require any special eyewear to view the lunar eclipse.

NASA recommends viewing the lunar eclipse in a dark environment, away from bright lights for the best viewing experience.

The eclipse will be visible across the United States and other parts of the Western Hemisphere.

If you aren’t able to catch this one, you won’t have to wait too long until the next total lunar eclipse is visible in Ohio.

Ohio will have the opportunity to witness another total lunar eclipse on March 3, 2026. Subsequently, just a few months later, on Aug. 27-28, 2026, a partial lunar eclipse will also be visible.

After that, our next total lunar eclipse won’t happen again until June 2029.

During a total lunar eclipse, the moon moves into the inner part of the Earth’s shadow, known as the umbra. 

Initially, observers will notice a portion of the moon obscured, resembling a bite on one side. As the eclipse progresses towards its peak, the moon will adopt a coppery hue, leading to its moniker of “blood moon.” Following the eclipse’s culmination, the sequence will reverse, and the reddish tint will gradually diminish until the moon resumes its usual appearance.

Eclipses always come in pairs, meaning a solar eclipse will follow a few weeks after the total lunar eclipse. The next partial solar eclipse will only be visible from Eastern Canada, Greenland and Northern Europe, NASA says.

The moon appears to turn crimson thanks to the same process that makes our skies blue and our sunsets red, NASA says. 

When sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere, blue light scatters more easily while red light travels more directly through the air. During a lunar eclipse, some of the sunlight passes all the way through the Earth’s atmosphere and reaches the moon’s surface, giving it a subtle glow.