What Is A Blood Moon? Here's What Causes This Lunar Anomaly

Earth's natural satellite, the moon, is typically pale gray, white, or yellowish; however, every once in a while, it appears to change its color to red or copper. This phenomenon is called a blood moon, and it only occurs during a total lunar eclipse, which is why the terms "total lunar eclipse" and "blood moon" are sometimes used interchangeably.

As you might expect, the moon doesn't actually turn red during a blood moon; it only looks reddish in color from our perspective on Earth, and there is a good reason for that. When Earth comes between the sun and the moon to create a total lunar eclipse, it blocks any of the sun's light from reaching the moon's surface directly. However, some of the sunlight still hits the moon, but only after passing through Earth's atmosphere.

As the sunlight travels through our atmosphere, much of the shorter wavelengths, which are responsible for blues and violets, are scattered to a greater extent than the longer wavelengths, which are responsible for the reds and oranges. The longer wavelengths, which are not scattered, are reflected back to the Earth by the moon's surface, giving it the reddish glow and causing the blood moon. The intensity of the red color can increase if there is more dust or clouds in Earth's atmosphere. Notably, the term "blood moon" is not a scientifically recognized term.

Blood Moons are not a particularly rare phenomenon. As almost 29% of all lunar eclipses are total lunar eclipses, you can spot a blood moon every two to three years at any specific location on Earth. However, there is no exact time interval; for example, 2025 will have two blood moons. The first of the 2025 blood moons occurred in March 2025, and the next is scheduled for September 7, 2025.

Unfortunately for Americans, according to NASA, the September 2025 blood moon won't be visible in the Americas. Only folks living in Africa, Asia, Australia, and Europe will get to experience it. That said, another blood moon is not too far behind and will happen on March 3, 2026. It will be visible in the Americas as well as Australia and parts of Asia.

For U.S. residents, the March 2026 total lunar eclipse will begin at approximately 3:05 a.m. PST and end at around 4:03 a.m. PST. While areas on the West Coast will see the entire eclipse, those on the East Coast will only get to enjoy parts of it. By the time the eclipse reaches its final phases, it'll be on or below the horizon for East Coast folks.

You'll be happy to know that you don't need any special equipment to enjoy a blood moon. All you require is a clear sky. While binoculars or telescopes can enhance the experience, a blood moon is easily visible with the naked eye.