BALTIMORE, MD—Stargazers across Maryland will be able to witness a rare astronomical event this week – a total lunar eclipse – but only true “night owls” will be able to see it. The eclipse will occur on the night of March 13th, or early in the morning of March 14th, depending on your time zone.

During a lunar eclipse, the Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon, causing it to appear red-orange in color. This phenomenon, sometimes referred to as a “Blood Moon,” occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align perfectly, with the Moon passing through the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, known as the umbra.

The eclipse will be visible to observers across the Earth’s Western Hemisphere.

Here are the timings for key phases of the eclipse across North America:

• Eastern Time Zone (Maryland): Totality begins at 2:26 a.m. EDT and ends at 3:32 a.m. EDT on March 14.
• Central Time Zone: Totality occurs between 1:26 a.m. and 2:32 a.m. on March 14.
• Mountain Time Zone: Totality occurs from 12:26 a.m. to 1:32 a.m. MDT on March 14.
• Pacific Time Zone: Totality spans from 11:26 p.m. to 12:32 a.m. PDT on March 13-14.
• Alaska Time Zone: Totality starts at 10:26 p.m. AKDT and finishes at 11:32 p.m. AKDT on March 13.
• Hawaii Time Zone: Totality begins at 8:26 p.m. and ends at 9:32 p.m. on March 13.

While no special equipment is needed to view the eclipse, binoculars or a telescope can enhance the experience. For optimal viewing, find a dark location away from bright lights.

Additional information can be found in the NASA graphics and videos below.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

Photo via Pixabay

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