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‘Blood Moon’ 2021: How, When And Where To See A Spooky Red Moon Eclipse This Year With Your Naked Eyes

By Jamie Carter

Will there be a “Blood Moon” in 2021? Yes—in fact, there will almost be two. This incredible phenomenon of a total lunar eclipse—caused by the full Moon drifting through Earth’s central shadow in space—will be visible from North America as a special “Super Flower Blood Moon.”

It’s going to be North America’s first total lunar eclipse for over two years—and it will be one of the best astronomical events of 2021 for North America.

After 2020’s dramatic “Christmas Star” or “great conjunction” of planets and summer 2020’s rare bright Comet NEOWISE, 2021 is going to be a year of “super moons” and a “Blue Moon,” but the highlight will be May’s total lunar eclipse.

Will you see a “Red Moon?” Here’s everything you need to know about seeing a “Blood Moon” in 2021:

When is the ‘Blood Moon’ in 2021?

What date is the next blood moon? On Wednesday, May 26, 2021, North America will see its first total lunar eclipse since January 2019. The biggest and brightest full Moon of 2021, this “Super Flower Moon” will occur close to the Moon’s perigee in May—the closest it gets to Earth in its monthly orbit.

However, what will make this a very special full Moon is that it will be totally eclipsed. For those in Australia, parts of the western U.S., western South America and Southeast Asia, this “super moon” full Moon will move into Earth’s dark central umbral shadow to cause a total lunar eclipse—a “Blood Moon”—for 15 minutes, briefly turning the lunar surface a reddish-copper color. However, such a brief “Blood Moon” may mean it doesn’t turn as red as usual.

What time is the ‘Blood Moon’ in 2021?

Here’s where you can see the “Blood Moon” in 2021 and at what time. The total lunar eclipse that will occur on Wednesday, May 26, 2021 will be visible across the western U.S. (here’s a handy Google Map) in the early hours in the western night sky. “Totality”—when the Moon turns reddish—will be visible from 11:11 through 11:25 UTC. That translates as:

  • Denver, Colorado: 05:11-05:25 a.m
  • Albuquerque, New Mexico: 05:11-05:25 a.m
  • Salt Lake City: 05:11-05:25 a.m
  • Boise, Idaho: 05:11-05:25 a.m
  • Phoenix, Arizona: 04:11-04:25 a.m
  • Las Vegas, Nevada: 04:11-04:25 a.m
  • San Francisco: 04:11-04:25 a.m
  • Los Angeles: 04:11-04:25 a.m
  • Seattle, Washington: 04:11-04:25 a.m
  • Portland, Oregon: 04:11-04:25 a.m

 

What happens after the ‘Blood Moon’ in 2021?

Just two weeks later on Thursday, June 10, 2021 there will be a “ring of fire” partial “annular” solar eclipse visible from northern Canada, Greenland and eastern Russia. It will be seen as a partial solar eclipse across the eastern U.S.

Total lunar eclipse vs. ‘Blood Moon’

What is a “Blood Moon?” A “Blood Moon” is the colloquial—and rather astrological—term for what astronomers call a total lunar eclipse. They occur when the Sun, Earth and the full Moon are perfectly aligned with each other so the Moon enters Earth’s umbral shadow in space.

The Moon turns reddish during the event because the only light on the lunar surface is filtered by Earth’s atmosphere, which is very good at scattering blue light, but not so good at scattering red light.

However, although May’s “Blood Moon” is the only one in 2021, there is another, similar kind of lunar eclipse in November.

What is a ‘Half-Blood Moon?’

It’s a partial lunar eclipse, which will occur on Thursday, November 18, 2021 and be visible from North and South America, Australia, parts of Europe and Asia. In fact, it’s so nearly a “Blood Moon” total lunar eclipse. Known as the “Half-Blood Beaver Moon,” this event will see a particularly deep partial lunar eclipse lasting 3 hours and 28 minutes as 97% of the Moon enters Earth’s shadow in space.

Two weeks later the alignment of the Sun, Moon and Earth will be even more precise as much more spectacular total solar eclipse occurs in the day on Saturday, December 4, 2021—though it will only be visible from Antarctica.

A total solar eclipse—the third solar eclipse in four years for North Americans—will be visible from Mexico, the US and Canada on April 8, 2024.

When is the next blood moon after 2021?

Arguably 2022 will be a better year for watching a “Blood Moon.” In fact, there will be two “Blood Moons” in 2022:

  • May 16, 2022: “Total Blood Flower Moon Eclipse” (when the Moon will turn red for 84 minutes).
  • November 8, 2022: “Total Frosty Blood Moon Eclipse” (when the Moon will turn reddish for 85 minutes).

Both will be visible from North America, but the latter will be the last total lunar eclipse that can be seen from North America until 2025, so make the best of the “Blood Moons” coming up.

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes. 

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