It’s the Full Moon tonight, and this month’s is an extra special one, it’s also a total lunar eclipse. This will turn the Moon a red color, earning it the nickname of “Blood Moon”. Moon gazers in North America, parts of Asia, Australia, and the Pacific will be lucky enough to see this phenomenon, but for those elsewhere, it’ll still be a big and bright moon with lots of features to spot on its surface. Keep reading to find out exactly what you can see.
What is today’s Moon phase?
As of Tuesday, March 3, the Moon phase is Full Moon . According to NASA’s Daily Moon Guide, 100% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.
Whether the Moon appears red in color or not, with just your naked eye tonight you can see the Aristarchus Plateau and Mares Imbrium and Serenitatis. If you have binoculars, you should also catch a glimpse of the Mare Nectaris, Alps Mountains and Clavius Crater. If you have a telescope, pull it out for the Blood Moon and to try and see the Linne Crater, Rupes Altai, and the Rima Hyginus.
When is the next Full Moon?
In North America, the next Full Moon is predicted to take place on April 1.
What are Moon phases?
NASA says the Moon takes around 29.5 days to circle Earth, moving through a set of eight distinct phases along the way. Even though we always see the same side of the Moon, the portion lit by the Sun changes as it travels, which is why it can look full, half-lit, or barely visible at different points in the cycle. These changing views are what we call the lunar phases, and there are eight in total:
New Moon – The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it’s invisible to the eye).
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Waxing Crescent – A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter – Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.
Waxing Gibbous – More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon – The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous – The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) – Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent – A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
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