What time is the total lunar eclipse tonight? Here’s when to see the ‘blood moon’

A total lunar eclipse will be viewable in the United States overnight into Friday morning, so some may want to pull an all-nighter to catch a good look at the rare celestial event, also known as the “blood moon.”

The moon will enter the Earth’s shadow and create a total lunar eclipse for the first time since November 2022, according to NASA. The moon will turn deep shades of rusty red throughout the more than hourlong totality, thus producing a vibrant visual in the night sky.

Anyone who misses out on the “blood moon” will have to wait quite a while as another total lunar eclipse won’t be visible in the U.S. until March 3, 2026, NASA said.

Total lunar eclipses are commonly referred to as “blood moons” due to the natural satellite’s tendency to turn a reddish hue when covered by Earth’s shadow.

What does total lunar eclipse look like? See photos of rare ‘blood moon’

When will the total lunar eclipse be visible in the U.S.? See full schedule

People in North America, South America, western parts of Europe and Africa will be able to view the total lunar eclipse overnight into Friday.

The process will technically begin just before midnight, but visual effects may not be fully present until just after 1 a.m. ET on Friday. That’s when “the real action begins,” and effects become gradually more apparent over the next two hours or so, NASA says.

Here’s what to expect, according to NASA:

How long will totality last?

The totality phase, when the Earth’s shadow fully covers the moon, is expected to last around 65 minutes, according to NASA.

Overall, it typically takes up to three hours and 38 minutes for the Earth to pass in front of the moon, during which time the natural satellite will enter the Earth’s penumbra, lighter outer shadow, and umbra, the center and deepest part of the shadow, NASA said.

What states will have the best views of the ‘blood moon’ total lunar eclipse?

Many of the contiguous U.S. states could have some clouds interfering with their view of the eclipse, according to a forecast by the National Weather Service. Clouds expect to cover much of the West Coast, Rockies and the northern Plain states.

When will the next lunar eclipse occur?

While most will probably want to catch the upcoming lunar eclipse, those who don’t will have more opportunities as astronomical alignments are set to improve in the next few years. From 2025 to 2030, there will be 14 lunar eclipses, and of those, nine will be visible in the U.S., according to NASA.

Contributing: Janet Loehrke & Greta Cross

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What time is the lunar eclipse tonight? When to see 2025 ‘blood moon’