How to See the 'Blood Worm Moon' Total Lunar Eclipse This Week—a Rare Phenomenon You Don't Want to Miss

Red skies at night might be a sailor’s delight (according to the age-old adage), but it will also be quite the treat for stargazers this week when the full moon glows red. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), March’s full moon will put on quite the show starting late in the evening of March 13 into the early morning of March 14 while a total lunar eclipse occurs.

Per NASA, a lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, moon, and Earth align so that the moon moves into the shadow of the Earth. For a total lunar eclipse to occur, the moon passes into the darkest part of our planet’s shadow, known as the umbra. This causes the moon to appear red-orange, which is where the nickname “blood moon” comes from. This has to do with the Earth’s inability to block all the sunlight, so whatever gets through gives it a unique hue across the lunar surface.

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, March's full moon is also called the Worm Moon, stemming from Native American, European, and Colonial American cultures. Originally, it was thought that nickname had to do with the arrival of earthworms in the spring. However, new findings revealed a different explanation. In the 1760s, Captain Jonathan Carver from New England met with several Native American tribes and wrote that the name Worm Moon refers to beetle larvae, which came out of hibernation from the winter season at this same.

The last time we saw a total lunar eclipse was in November 2022, and we will not see one again until the beginning of March 2026. So, if you want to catch this phenomenon, you will have a little over an hour during totality to see the moon take on a coppery red hue. 

People all across the United States will be able to see the total lunar eclipse. The eclipse kicks off just before midnight EDT on March 13, but according to NASA, totality begins on March 14 at 2:26 a.m. EDT and concludes at 3:31 a.m. EDT. As long as the weather cooperates, the phenomenon will be visible to the naked eye. However, if you really want to get the best view, a pair of binoculars or a telescope is ideal.