A rare celestial event will light up the night sky on Friday as the full worm "blood" moon coincides with a total lunar eclipse visible across North America, the Almanac reported.
This astronomical occurrence will give the moon a striking reddish hue, creating a stunning spectacle for skywatchers.
March's full moon, known as the worm moon, will reach peak illumination at 2:55 a.m. EDT on Friday. This year, it will be accompanied by a total lunar eclipse, often referred to as a blood moon due to the deep red color the moon takes on during the event.
A total lunar eclipse happens when the Earth moves directly between the sun and the moon, casting its shadow over the lunar surface. The red appearance results from sunlight filtering through Earth's atmosphere, scattering shorter wavelengths and allowing longer, redder wavelengths to reach the moon.
The eclipse will begin late Thursday, with the moon entering the penumbra — the Earth's outer shadow — at 11:56 p.m. EDT.
The moon will move into the umbra, or complete shadow, at 1:09 a.m. EDT on Friday and reach maximum eclipse at 2:55 a.m. EDT.
The event will conclude as the moon exits the umbra at 4:48 a.m. EDT and leaves the penumbra at 6:02 a.m. EDT.
Observers will have multiple opportunities to see the moon at its brightest on Thursday, even if the weather is less than ideal. The full moon will be visible on the horizon Thursday evening, offering a spectacular view as it rises. If conditions remain cloudy, skywatchers can try again Friday night.
Some lucky viewers might also spot a rare moonbow — a lunar rainbow created when moonlight refracts through water droplets in the atmosphere. These occur only when the full moon is relatively low in the sky, making early evening and late-night hours the best time for potential sightings.
The worm moon is a name that originated in Native American, Colonial American, and European traditions.
Initially believed to reference the reemergence of earthworms as soil warms, more recent research suggests it refers to beetle larvae that emerge from thawing bark as winter ends.
Other traditional names for this moon include the eagle moon and goose moon (Algonquin, Cree), the crow comes back moon (Northern Ojibwe), the sugar moon (Ojibwe), the wind strong moon (Pueblo), and the sore eyes moon (Dakota, Lakota, Assiniboine).
Skywatchers who miss this lunar eclipse must wait until March 3, 2026, for the next total lunar eclipse.