Montgomery County residents awake at midnight Thursday through the earliest hours of Friday morning will be able to look outside and see a total lunar eclipse as the moon turns red while passing into the Earth’s shadow, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The “blood moon” will be visible in the county and the rest of North and South America, according to NASA.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, Earth and moon align in such a way that the moon passes into the Earth’s shadow, the umbra. In a total lunar eclipse, such as the overnight event on Thursday and Friday, the moon appears red or orange, according to NASA, hence the “blood moon” nickname.
According to NASA, the eclipse will begin at roughly 11:55 p.m. Thursday on the East Coast and end at 6 a.m. Friday, and should be at its peak from 2:26 a.m. to 3:31 a.m. According to the Weather Channel, there may be some clouds early Friday morning that may impact viewing.
To view this week’s lunar eclipse, all those interested will need to find a dark environment away from bright lights.
The moon turns red, according to NASA, due to the phenomenon that makes the sky blue and sunsets red. While sunlight appears white, it includes a number of colors in the rainbow. Light on the blue end of the spectrum is easily scattered through the atmosphere while light on the red end of the light spectrum is able to make a more direct path to our eyes.
Unlike solar glasses needed for safely viewing a solar eclipse, special equipment isn’t needed to see a lunar eclipse. Solar eclipses occur during the day when the moon moves between the Earth and the sun.
The most recent partial solar eclipse observable in the county occurred in April 2024. Another partial solar eclipse, which will be less dramatic than last year’s eclipse, is set to occur March 29 and will be peak in the county and the Washington, D.C., area at roughly 7 a.m. More information on how to safely view a solar eclipse can be found here.
