You’ll want to set your alarms for this: Cincinnati (and the rest of America) are going to be treated to a show in the night sky this month.
A total lunar eclipse will be visible Friday, March 14, starting in the wee hours of the morning. According to Cincinnati astronomer Dean Regas, a partial eclipse will start in our time zone at 1:09 a.m., with the total eclipse beginning at 2:26 a.m. The total eclipse ends just over an hour later at 3:31 a.m. The partial eclipse will end at 4:47 a.m.
A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth blocks the light from the sun and casts a shadow, or umbra, that intersects with the moon’s orbit. A total lunar eclipse happens when the moon fully passes through the umbra. As you view the eclipse from Earth, it’ll look like a dark shadow creeping across the full moon, which for the month of March is called the “Worm Moon.” When the moon is completely covered by the shadow, it will turn a shade of pink, orange or red.
For better eclipse watching, if you can, find a clear, dark spot away from any bright lights. You can use binoculars or a telescope to see better, but you will be able to view the eclipse without equipment.
And if you want some educational entertainment to go along with your eclipse watch, Sky Observers will host a live hangout on YouTube starting at 1:05 a.m. EDT the morning of the eclipse. Astronomy educators will talk about what happens during a total lunar eclipse, answer eclipse questions and, as long as the weather cooperates, watch the eclipse live.
This article appears in Mar 5-18, 2025.
