On March 14, a full lunar eclipse will occur but people in the UK might not get a full view of this event. Instead, we’ll see a different phenomenon known as a partial lunar eclipse or “blood moon”.
Astrophysicist Dr William Alston at the University of Hertfordshire noted it will still be “an event worth watching”, but warned there will need to be some specific conditions for you to see it. The expert explained that the full eclipse is set to begin at 6:26am but the moon will set beyond the horizon at 6:22am in London.
If the skies are clear above and you head out between 3:57am and 5:09am on Friday, you’ll be able to see the start of the eclipse. The partial eclipse officially starts at 5:09 and will continue until the moon is at least 95% covered before it sets for UK stargazers.
The astrophysicist explained: “As the moon is starting to set, the best place will be as high up as possible, looking west. Any buildings or trees will obscure the moon before it sets.”
A partial lunar eclipse is also known as a blood moon, which describes exactly what people in the UK can be on the lookout for when they head out to see the eclipse. Dr Alston explained: “During the eclipse, the moon’s surface will appear reddish, which is colloquially referred to as a ‘blood moon’.
“The red colour is due to sunlight being scattered through the Earth’s atmosphere. It is the same process that causes the sky to appear red during sunsets – known as Rayliegh scattering.
“Observers in the UK will still get to see most of the moon covered by the Earth’s shadow, appearing visibly red – well worth looking out for! This will occur at a reasonable time in the morning, making it possible for most UK observers to see as they get up and ready for work.”
This ‘blood moon’ also mustn’t be confused with the Worm Moon, which happens to overlap with the eclipse. The expert explained: “The March full moon is also known as the ‘Worm moon’, as it coincides with the beginning of warmer spring weather, with earthworms starting to appear and nature springing to life following a cold, dark winter.”
If you sleep through the partial lunar eclipse, there is a second sky phenomenon due this month you could watch out for. The professor shared: “Eclipses usually come in pairs; a solar eclipse often occurs around two weeks either side of a lunar eclipse. On 29th March, there will be a partial solar eclipse visible from the UK at around 9:20 am.”