Stargazers in the UK will be treated to two spectacular lunar eclipses this year – with the first one arriving in less than a month.
The cosmic phenomenon known as a ‘blood moon’ occurs when a Full Moon aligns exactly with the Sun and the Earth.
Due to the positioning of all three within the atmosphere at that moment, the light passing through Earth from the Sun causes the Moon to turn a deep red colour, making for a remarkable sight in the skies.
And the incoming blood moon, set to be a ‘partial lunar eclipse’, will be the first to grace Earth for more than a year when it hits UK skies on March 14.
During this eclipse, almost all of the Moon will be in the outer region of Earth’s shadow, known as the ‘penumbra’.
This means that shadows will cast over large sections of the Moon, but the red glow will still remain visible during parts of the lunar eclipse.
The astronomical phenomenon known as a ‘blood moon’ occurs when the Moon aligns exactly with the Sun and the Earth; here, one is pictured over Los Angeles on the morning of April 15, 2014
This total lunar eclipse (pictured) took place in April 2014 in Montevideo, Uruguay, and is expected to follow the ‘partial lunar eclipse’ and hit UK skies later this year
During a lunar eclipse, light from the sun is filtered through Earth’s atmosphere, which is why the lunar surface appears red
At 3.57am GMT on March 14, the Moon will begin to enter the Earth’s shadow and will become fully visible in the UK – particularly in London – three hours later at 6.19am, according to Royal Museums Greenwich.
The eclipse’s peak is expected to occur at 6.58am, but at this point the Moon will have set below the horizon, making it difficult to view from the ground.
So, those looking to get a better view of the phenomenon should position themselves on a safe high point with a clear western view at the blood moon’s maximum eclipse, for the best results.
The last blood moon visible from the UK took place on October 28, 2023, which was also a ‘partial lunar eclipse’ and could be seen throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and western Australia.
During this eclipse, the UK only saw ‘a small fraction’ of the Full Moon pass into the inner region of Earth’s shadow, known as the ‘umbra’.
At the eclipse’s maximum, which occured at 9.15pm on the night, just 12 per cent was in Earth’s shadow, with 6 per cent in the umbra.
Following next month’s partial eclipse, the UK will see yet another blood moon just six months later when a ‘total lunar eclipse’ arrives on September 7.
This time, the Moon will rise just above the horizon at its maximum occurrence at 7.33pm BST on the autumn evening, and is expected to last for more than two hours before gradually moving out of Earth’s shadow.
As the Moon is expected to be low on the horizon, making it more difficult to see, stargazers should find ‘a high point with a clear view to the East’ to see the most of this eclipse.
The partial lunar eclipse will become fully visible from London at 6.19am on March 14
The eclipses, which last for several hours, can take shape in multiple forms; due to the positioning of the Sun, Earth and Moon, some eclipse’s may be covered in much more shadows than others
For those with a keen eye for photography, the upcoming eclipse also presents an opportunity to capture some jaw-dropping images.
Speaking on the Royal Museum Greenwhich website, astronomer Tom Kerss has shared his top three tips for capturing the perfect snap on the night.
Tip one: Use the right equipment
‘You don’t need a telescope to take a good photograph of the moon,’ he said.
‘If you want to see details on the lunar surface, you’ll want to try and use the longest lens that you have in order to zoom in.
‘While we tend to think of the Moon as being a big object in the sky, it’s actually rather small and you can prove that to yourself by covering it up with your little finger stretched out at arm’s length.
‘If you’re going to be zooming in to minimise any shake in your photos, you’ll want to use a tripod and remote shutter if you have one.
Tip two: Know your horizon
‘In the UK, the eclipse will be at its greatest and latest stages when it’s relatively low in the South West and the West,’ he added.
‘If you have interesting foreground subjects on your Western horizon, try to position yourself so you can capture them in the shot as well.
‘It might be an area of outstanding natural beauty, some buildings or even yourself.’
Tip three: Take it to the next level
‘If you already know quite a bit about processing photos, then it might be a good idea to take some more challenging photos of this eclipse,’ he said.
‘For example, you can take an image with a very high amount of colour and then exaggerating the colour to see the layers of the Earth’s atmosphere while the total phase is beginning to end.
‘Or you could try taking a high dynamic range photograph, not only capturing the moon, but also the stars in the background as well.’
Variations of a lunar eclipse are said to happen between two to five times a year, but a total lunar eclipse occurs just twice every three years.
According to NASA, these upcoming eclipses will be the last visible ‘blood moons’ for more than another year.
While on March 3, 2026, a total lunar eclipse will occur in East Asia, Australia, the Pacific and the Americas, UK and European stargazers will have to wait until August 28, 2026 for the next one after the upcoming two.
This partial eclipse, which is believed to see 96 per cent of the Moon in shadow, will also be visible in the East Pacific, the Americas and Africa.
The UK will then not see another total lunar eclipse until December 31, 2028.
