Total lunar eclipse coming in March 2025: When to see it in New York
Millions of people across the nation will be able to watch a rare total lunar eclipse when the full moon in March slips behind the darkest part of the Earth's shadow.
Referred to as a "blood moon" because of its reddish and orange hue, this is North America's lone total lunar eclipse of 2025, according to NASA. Local astronomy experts say New Yorkers should have a good view of the eclipse so long as the weather cooperates and don't mind staying up late to see it.
The upcoming total lunar eclipse is the first since November 2022. Here's what to know about the lunar eclipse.
A lunar eclipse is an alignment of the Earth, moon and sun where the moon passes through the Earth's shadow, or umbra. As it does, the moon will appear to darken and take on a crimson shade of red.
The moon will pass through Earth's shadow and appear red the night of Thursday, March 13, into the early morning of Friday, March 14.
For folks on the east coast, including New York, the timing of the total lunar eclipse is not ideal.
A partial lunar eclipse will start at 11:57 p.m. EST on Thursday, March 13. But the most dramatic portion — when the moon turns totally dark — will occur between 2:26 a.m. and 3:31 a.m. on Friday, March 14, according to Space.com and TimeAndDate.com.
The eclipse will end at 6 a.m.
From start to finish, a total lunar eclipse is a magnificent sight to behold. Here's what New Yorkers will see during the event, according to NASA:
11:57 p.m., Penumbral eclipse begins: The moon enters the Earth's penumbra, the outer part of the shadow. The moon begins to dim, but the effect is quite subtle.
1:09 a.m., Partial eclipse begins: The moon begins to enter Earth's umbra and the partial eclipse begins. To the naked eye, as the moon moves into the umbra, it looks like a bite is being taken out of the lunar disk. The part of the moon inside the umbra appears very dark.
2:26 a.m., Totality begins: The entire moon is now in the Earth's umbra. The moon is tinted a coppery red. Try binoculars or a telescope for a better view. If you want to take a photo, use a camera on a tripod with exposures of at least several seconds.
3:31 a.m., Totality ends: As the moon exits Earth's umbra, the red color fades. It looks as if a bite is being taken out of the opposite side of the lunar disk from before.
4:47 a.m., Partial eclipse ends: The whole moon is in Earth's penumbra, but again, the dimming is subtle.
6 a.m., Penumbral eclipse ends: The eclipse is over.
We'll never forget the weather last April for the total solar eclipse - clear and sunny ahead of the eclipse and after the celestial spectacle. But during the mid-afternoon event itself, Mother Nature was cloudy and uncooperative.
While a forecast for the March 13 and 14 has not yet been issued by the National Weather Service or AccuWeather, mid-March days can range from snowy to rainy.
"March can be very, very variable," said Meteorologist Phillip Pandolfo of the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
Cloud cover is certainly possible, but that depends on temperature, according to Pandolfo. If March 13 is part of a colder stretch, he said, there's a higher chance of some lake effect clouds. That means a lower chance of clear skies.
According to the NOAA Climate Prediction Center's 8 to 14 day forecast, temperatures are predicted to be near normal for the first half of March, and precipitation is predicted to be slightly above normal.
The average high temperature in Rochester in for the dates of the eclipse are 42 and 43 degrees and average low is 26 degrees. According to Weather Service data, nearly 2.5 inches of rain and 17.9 inches of snow typically falls in March in Rochester.
During a total lunar eclipse the moon appears red, but why? According to NASA, the reddish-orange hue is due to how sunlight strikes the moon's surface after passing through our atmosphere.
Colors with shorter wavelengths, such as blues and violets, scatter more easily than colors with longer wavelengths, which include red and orange, according to NASA. The more dust or clouds in Earth's atmosphere during a lunar eclipse, the redder the moon appears.
The next total lunar eclipse in North America will be March 3, 2026.
Includes reporting by USA Today network
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Total lunar eclipse coming in March 2025: When to see it in New York
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