Why A Total Lunnar Eclipse Occurs
Why a total lunnar Eclipse
Why A Total Lunar Eclipse Occurs
Are you ready for one of the most beautiful celestial events of 2025? On the night of Thursday, March 13, through Friday, March 14, North America will have a front-row seat to witness a total lunar eclipse — colloquially called a “blood moon.” What is a total lunar eclipse, and why does the moon turn red?
Here’s everything you need to know about the rare event not seen anywhere since 2022.
Why A Total Lunar Eclipse Occurs
A total lunar eclipse occurs when Earth is positioned directly between the sun and a full moon. This alignment causes Earth’s central shadow, its umbra, to fall across the lunar surface, blocking the sun’s light. When the whole of the moon is within the Earth’s umbra, the only light reaching the lunar surface is sunlight refracted through Earth’s atmosphere — which is why the lunar surface turns red. This is totality.
Unlike a total solar eclipse, during which totality lasts only a few minutes and can only be seen from specific locations, a total lunar eclipse is visible from anywhere on the night side of Earth. On this occasion, totality will last for 65 minutes, partly because the moon will be farther from Earth than on average, so it will take longer to travel through Earth’s umbra.
What Happens During A Total Lunar Eclipse
The entire process of a total lunar eclipse takes many hours. It begins with the moon gradually entering Earth’s penumbra, the outer part of its shadow, causing the full moon to lose its brightness gradually. It’s a subtle effect that’s often difficult to detect with the naked eye. As the moon moves into Earth’s umbra, the partial eclipse begins, its surface becoming redder. When it’s wholly within the umbra, it’s completely reddish — this is the famous “blood moon” effect. Halfway through totality, the entire process goes into reverse.
the partial phase. That begins in the east of the continent at 1:09 a.m. EDT on March 14, with totality lasting from 2:26 a.m. to 3:32 a.m. EDT. For the West Coast, the partial eclipse starts at 10:09 p.m. PDT on March 13, with totality occurring from 11:26 p.m. to 12:32 a.m. PDT. This is merely a time zone difference because the eclipse is a global event. Those in Western Europe will see the moon set totally eclipsed, while in Australia and New Zealand, it will rise totally eclipsed.
What Happens During A Total Lunar Eclipse
The entire process of a total lunar eclipse takes many hours. It begins with the moon gradually entering Earth’s penumbra, the outer part of its shadow, causing the full moon to lose its brightness gradually. It’s a subtle effect that’s often difficult to detect with the naked eye. As the moon moves into Earth’s umbra, the partial eclipse begins, its surface becoming redder. When it’s wholly within the umbra, it’s completely reddish — this is the famous “blood moon” effect. Halfway through totality, the entire process goes into reverse.
the partial phase. That begins in the east of the continent at 1:09 a.m. EDT on March 14, with totality lasting from 2:26 a.m. to 3:32 a.m. EDT. For the West Coast, the partial eclipse starts at 10:09 p.m. PDT on March 13, with totality occurring from 11:26 p.m. to 12:32 a.m. PDT. This is merely a time zone difference because the eclipse is a global event. Those in Western Europe will see the moon set totally eclipsed, while in Australia and New Zealand, it will rise totally eclipsed.
What Happens During A Total Lunar Eclipse
The entire process of a total lunar eclipse takes many hours. It begins with the moon gradually entering Earth’s penumbra, the outer part of its shadow, causing the full moon to lose its brightness gradually. It’s a subtle effect that’s often difficult to detect with the naked eye. As the moon moves into Earth’s umbra, the partial eclipse begins, its surface becoming redder. When it’s wholly within the umbra, it’s completely reddish — this is the famous “blood moon” effect. Halfway through totality, the entire process goes into reverse.
the partial phase. That begins in the east of the continent at 1:09 a.m. EDT on March 14, with totality lasting from 2:26 a.m. to 3:32 a.m. EDT. For the West Coast, the partial eclipse starts at 10:09 p.m. PDT on March 13, with totality occurring from 11:26 p.m. to 12:32 a.m. PDT. This is merely a time zone difference because the eclipse is a global event. Those in Western Europe will see the moon set totally eclipsed, while in Australia and New Zealand, it will rise totally eclipsed.
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Its sides aligned almost perfectly with the four cardinal directions—north, south, east, and west—showing a deep understanding of astronomy. Inside the Great Pyramid were hidden chambers. The King’s Chamber held a granite sarcophagus, meant to house Khufu’s mummified body. Narrow shafts pointed toward specific stars, perhaps guiding the king’s spirit to the heavens. The pyramid was once covered in smooth white limestone that reflected the sunlight, making it shine brilliantly like a beacon. Near Khufu’s pyramid stood two others—built for his son Khafre and his grandson Menkaure. Together, they formed the famous Pyramids of Giza. Guarding them was the Great Sphinx, a colossal statue with the body of a lion and the face of a pharaoh, likely Khafre. The Sphinx symbolized strength and wisdom, silently protecting the royal tombs. But why did the Egyptians build such enormous structures? The answer lies in their beliefs. The afterlife was central to Egyptian religion. 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