Last total lunar eclipse until 2025 arrives early Tuesday
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On May 15, 2022, there was also a total lunar eclipse, also known as the Blood Moon, as observed in Caracas, Venezuela. Photo: Pedro Rances Mattey/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Look up to the sky and set your alarm: The last total lunar eclipse until 2025 takes place early Tuesday.
The big picture: The hours for when the eclipse will be visible vary by time zone, but the weekend's end of daylight saving time means the Sun rises earlier.
Driving the news: The totality phase of the eclipse, when the Moon is entirely in Earth’s shadow, will be visible across North and Central America and in Ecuador, Colombia and western portions of Venezuela and Peru, per NASA.
- The eclipse will also be visible in Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
- NASA said Alaska and Hawaii “will have the opportunity to see every stage of the eclipse.”
What is a total lunar eclipse? A Blood Moon?
How it works: A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth and Moon align so the moon passes into earth’s shadow, according to NASA.
Meanwhile, total lunar eclipses occur when the Moon passes into the dark shadow of the Earth, Axios’ Miriam Kramer explains.
Lunar eclipses are sometimes called “Blood Moons” because the Moon will turn a reddish hue, NASA said.
- This happens when the Moon is in the darkest part of Earth's shadow, which is called the umbra.
What time is the lunar eclipse Tuesday?
The initial phase of the eclipse, called the penumbral eclipse, begins at 3:02am ET and 12:02am PT Tuesday, NASA said in its timeline.
- The Moon begins to dim as it enters the Earth’s penumbra, the outer part of the shadow.
The partial eclipse begins at 4:09am ET/1:09am PT.
- As the Moon moves into the umbra, to the eye it will look like a bite is being taken out of the lunar disk, NASA describes.
Totality begins at 5:17am ET/2:17am PT.
- This is also when the entire Moon is in the Earth’s umbra and the moon will turn a coppery-red, NASA said.
When will the eclipse end?
State of play: Totality ends at 6:42am ET/3:42am PT.
The partial eclipse ends when the Moon has set in ET or 4:49am PT.
- The penumbral eclipse ends when the Moon has set in ET or 5:50am PT.
How to see the total lunar eclipse live
What's happening: Unlike a solar eclipse, anyone with a view of the Moon during a lunar eclipse will be able to see it as it occurs, NASA said.
- Special equipment isn't needed to observe the eclipse but "binoculars or a telescope will enhance the view and the red color," NASA said, noting a "dark environment away from bright lights makes for the best viewing conditions."
Yes, but: If it's cloudy near you or you don't want to go outside, there will also be live streams and videos around the world.
- NASA said its live stream starts at 4am ET and 1am PT on its website.
Solar eclipses 2023 and the next lunar eclipse
What’s next: While Tuesday's eclipse is the last lunar eclipse for more than two years, there will still be partial and penumbral lunar eclipses.
- The first eclipse of 2023 will be on April 20 and will be a hybrid solar eclipse, Space.com said.
- The second eclipse of 2023 will be an Oct. 14 annular solar eclipse, per Space.com.
- The next total lunar eclipse will occur March 14, 2025.
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