When And Where To See The Next Lunar Eclipse — Including America’s Next ‘Blood Moon’

A total solar eclipse is coming. That can mean only one thing—so is a lunar eclipse.

On Monday, April 8, a total solar eclipse will be seen from within a 115-mile path of totality stretching from northwestern Mexico to southeastern Canada via parts of 15 U.S. states. Everywhere else in North America will see a partial solar eclipse.

Precisely two weeks before, in the early hours of Monday, March 25, a lunar eclipse will occur. It won't be a major observing event. Unlike a "Blood Moon"—the colloquial term for a total lunar eclipse—the full "Worm Moon" will move through only the outer part of Earth's shadow in space. Its light will dim for a while, but it won't turn red.

The huge curve of Earth's shadow slung across the lunar surface—gradually waxing, then waning—is a strange thing to see if the sky is clear. However, this one isn't particularly convenient for most North Americans.

When To See The Next Lunar Eclipse

This penumbral lunar eclipse will be seen by observers in North and South America, Europe, East Asia, Australia and New Zealand. That's about 2.2 billion people, according to Timeanddate. On Monday, March 25, it will be seen from North America between 00:53-05:32 a.m. EDT, with maximum eclipse at 03:12 a.m EDT when 95% of the full moon will be in Earth's shadow.

When To See The Next ‘Blood Moon’ Total Lunar Eclipse

A total lunar eclipse—also called a “Blood Moon”—can only occur when the whole of the moon enters Earth’s umbra. That will next happen on March 13/14, 2025—exactly one lunar year after Monday’s “Worm Moon.”

It will be the first of many because total lunar eclipses tend to come along in groups of three in a single lunar year:

• March 13–14, 2025: Europe, Much of Asia, Much of Australia, Much of Africa, North America, South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, Antarctica.
• September 7–8, 2025: Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, West in North America, East in South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic, Antarctica.
• March 2–3, 2026: East in Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic, Antarctica.

What Is A Lunar Year?

A lunar year is the time it takes for the moon to orbit Earth 12 times. Since each orbit takes 29.5 days (hence the name "month," which is derived from “moon-th”), so a lunar year is 354 days.

Why Does A Lunar Eclipse Trigger A Solar Eclipse?

Or vice versa. The moon’s orbit of Earth is tilted by 5º with respect to the ecliptic—the path of the sun through the sky—which it moves across twice each month. These are called nodes. When the moon reaches one of these nodes at full moon (to cause a lunar eclipse), it must do so again at the following new moon (to cause a solar eclipse).

For the latest on all aspects of April 8’s total solar eclipse in North America, check my main feed for new articles each day.

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.