On March 3, 2026, the Pacific Northwest will get a chance to witness a total lunar eclipse.
Totality will last approximately one hour, from 3:04 AM to 4:02 AM.
What is a lunar eclipse?
Eclipses happen when the Earth, sun, and moon align. When the moon is between the Earth
and the sun and the moon’s shadow falls on Earth, we call it a solar eclipse. When the Earth is between the sun and the moon and the moon passes through Earth’s shadow, we call it a lunar eclipse.
Why does the moon turn red?
During a lunar eclipse, the Earth is blocking direct sunlight from reaching the moon. But our
atmosphere causes light to refract, bending different wavelengths at different angles. Bluer
light scatters the most, flying away into space, leaving only red light to illuminate the moon.
Why are eclipses so rare?
The moon orbits the Earth at an angle relative to the Earth’s orbit around the sun. This means
that true alignment is often precluded by the moon being slightly too high or too low. Only
when the point of alignment is also a point of intersection between the two orbital planes is an
eclipse possible, which makes them much rarer than they would be otherwise.
Where can I learn more?
You can track the upcoming lunar eclipse at timeanddate.com. To learn more about eclipses
and the moon in general, come to this month’s Second Saturday talk on the 14th!
