A rare total lunar eclipse, popularly known as a “blood moon,” is set to light up the skies over North America, Australia and New Zealand on Tuesday, offering stargazers a dramatic celestial display.
Astrophysicist Dr Rebecca Allen of Swinburne University of Technology said the full moon will take on a “deep and coppery red” hue as it moves into the Earth’s shadow. The event will be the last total lunar eclipse visible in these regions for nearly three years.
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth aligns directly between the sun and the moon, blocking sunlight and casting a shadow over the lunar surface. However, some sunlight still reaches the moon indirectly by passing through the Earth’s atmosphere.
“Any light that does pass shines through our atmosphere and transforms the lunar surface into a deep, coppery red,” Allen explained.
Dr Brad Tucker, an astrophysicist at Australian National University, described the phenomenon as sunlight that “skims” the Earth’s atmosphere. Similar to the way sunsets and sunrises appear red or pink, this refracted light bathes the moon in an orange-red glow.
For optimal viewing, Allen advised observers to seek out a dark location away from city lights and allow 10 to 15 minutes for their eyes to adjust to the night sky. She added that Jupiter will be visible high overhead during the eclipse, creating what she called “a great pairing” for skywatchers.
Australia Viewing Times
According to Allen, the eclipse will be visible across Australia at the following times on Tuesday night:
- Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Hobart: 10:04pm – 11:02pm
- Brisbane: 9:04pm – 10:02pm
- Adelaide: 9:34pm – 10:32pm
- Darwin: 8:34pm – 9:32pm
- Perth: 7:04pm – 8:02pm
New Zealand
In New Zealand, the eclipse will reach its deepest point shortly after midnight, with the moon positioned high in the sky.
Professor Richard Easther of the University of Auckland said the event will be visible nationwide.
“Everyone who can see the moon will see the eclipse,” he said. “As an astronomer, I am excited by anything that encourages people to ‘look up’ and experience the night sky for themselves.”
The Americas
In parts of the Americas, the eclipse will occur in the early hours of Tuesday, March 3. According to NASA, observers near the edge of the visibility zone may only witness a partial eclipse as the moon sets before the event concludes.
Best viewing times in North America are:
- New York, Washington DC: 3:44am – about 6:30am
- Detroit: 3:44am – 7:06am
- New Orleans, Chicago: 2:44am – about 6:24am
- San Francisco, Los Angeles: 12:44am – about 6:23am
Other major cities expected to witness the eclipse include:
- Tokyo: 5:44pm – 11:23pm
- Beijing: 6:00pm – 10:23pm
- Manila: 5:57pm – 10:23pm
- Jakarta: 6:06pm – 9:23pm
Total lunar eclipses typically occur every 18 months to three years. The next total eclipse is expected on New Year’s Eve 2028 and will be visible across most of Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa, but not the Americas. North America’s next total lunar eclipse will take place in June 2029.
A partial lunar eclipse is also scheduled for 28 August 2026, with the best views expected in the Americas and Africa. It will be largely invisible from Australia and New Zealand.
While modern science views the blood moon as a striking astronomical event, it has held powerful symbolic meaning in ancient cultures. Historian Daniel Brown of Nottingham Trent University noted that the Inca civilisation interpreted the red moon as a jaguar attacking it, while ancient Mesopotamians saw a lunar eclipse as an omen threatening their king.
The Native American Luiseño tribes of California believed the moon was wounded during an eclipse and performed healing chants.
The March full moon is also traditionally known as the “worm moon,” a term popularised by the Old Farmer’s Almanac, marking the time when soil begins to warm in the northern hemisphere and early signs of spring emerge.
Experts say beyond its dramatic colour, the blood moon serves as a reminder of Earth’s place in a dynamic solar system — a small world moving through vast space.
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