A total lunar eclipse will occur at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Friday, March 14, 2025,[1] with an umbral magnitude of 1.1804. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon's near side entirely passes into the Earth's umbral shadow. Unlike a solar eclipse, which can only be viewed from a relatively small area of the world, a lunar eclipse may be viewed from anywhere on the night side of Earth. A total lunar eclipse can last up to nearly two hours, while a total solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes at any given place, because the Moon's shadow is smaller. Occurring about 3.3 days before apogee (on March 17, 2025, at 12:35 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter will be smaller.[2]
| Total eclipse | |||||||||||||||||
 The Moon's hourly motion shown right to left | |||||||||||||||||
| Date | March 14, 2025 | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamma | 0.3485 | ||||||||||||||||
| Magnitude | 1.1804 | ||||||||||||||||
| Saros cycle | 123 (53 of 72) | ||||||||||||||||
| Totality | 66 minutes, 3.9 seconds | ||||||||||||||||
| Partiality | 218 minutes, 55.8 seconds | ||||||||||||||||
| Penumbral | 363 minutes, 22.4 seconds | ||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
This lunar eclipse will be the first of an almost tetrad, with the others being on September 8, 2025 (total); March 3, 2026 (total); and August 28, 2026 (partial).[3]
Visibility
editThe eclipse will be completely visible over North and South America, seen rising over Australia and northeast Asia and setting over Africa and Europe.[4]
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Eclipse details
editShown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[5]
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Penumbral Magnitude | 2.26146 |
| Umbral Magnitude | 1.18038 |
| Gamma | 0.34846 |
| Sun Right Ascension | 23h37m46.0s |
| Sun Declination | -02°24'16.8" |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 16'05.2" |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.8" |
| Moon Right Ascension | 11h38m23.0s |
| Moon Declination | +02°40'54.6" |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 14'52.8" |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 0°54'36.8" |
| ΔT | 71.7 s |
Eclipse season
editThis eclipse is part of an eclipse season, a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two (or occasionally three) eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months (173 days) later; thus two full eclipse seasons always occur each year. Either two or three eclipses happen each eclipse season. In the sequence below, each eclipse is separated by a fortnight.
| March 14 Descending node (full moon) |
March 29 Ascending node (new moon) |
|---|---|
| |
|
| Total lunar eclipse Lunar Saros 123 |
Partial solar eclipse Solar Saros 149 |
Related eclipses
editEclipses in 2025
edit- A total lunar eclipse on March 14.
- A partial solar eclipse on March 29.
- A total lunar eclipse on September 7.
- A partial solar eclipse on September 21.
Metonic
edit- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 26, 2021
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 31, 2028
Tzolkinex
edit- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 31, 2018
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 25, 2032
Half-Saros
edit- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of March 9, 2016
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of March 20, 2034
Tritos
edit- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 15, 2014
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 11, 2036
Lunar Saros 123
edit- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 3, 2007
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 25, 2043
Inex
edit- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 4, 1996
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 22, 2054
Triad
edit- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 14, 1938
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 14, 2112
Lunar eclipses of 2024–2027
edit| Lunar eclipse series sets from 2024–2027 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Descending node | Ascending node | |||||||
| Saros | Date | Type Viewing |
Gamma | Saros | Date Viewing |
Type Chart |
Gamma | |
113
|
2024 Mar 25
|
Penumbral
|
1.06098 | 118
|
2024 Sep 18
|
Partial
|
−0.97920 | |
| 123 | 2025 Mar 14
|
Total
|
0.34846 | 128 | 2025 Sep 07
|
Total
|
−0.27521 | |
| 133 | 2026 Mar 03
|
Total
|
−0.37651 | 138 | 2026 Aug 28
|
Partial
|
0.49644 | |
| 143 | 2027 Feb 20
|
Penumbral
|
−1.04803 | 148 | 2027 Aug 17
|
Penumbral
|
1.27974 | |
| Last set | 2023 May 05 | Last set | 2023 Oct 28 | |||||
| Next set | 2028 Jan 12 | Next set | 2027 Jul 18 | |||||
Saros 123
editLunar saros series 123, repeating every 18 years and 11 days, has 25 total lunar eclipses. The first total lunar eclipse of this series was on July 16, 1628, and last will be on April 4, 2061. The two longest occurrence of this series were on September 20, 1736 and October 1, 1754 when totality lasted 106 minutes.
It last occurred on March 3, 2007 and will next occur on 25 March 2043.
Metonic series
editThe Metonic cycle repeats nearly exactly every 19 years and represents a Saros cycle plus one lunar year. Because it occurs on the same calendar date, the Earth's shadow will in nearly the same location relative to the background stars.
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Half-Saros cycle
editA lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[6] Related to Solar Saros 130.
| March 9, 2016 | March 20, 2034 |
|---|---|
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See also
editNotes
edit- ^ "March 13–14, 2025 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)". timeanddate. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ Espenak, Fred (23 September 2024). "Lunar Eclipses: 2021–2030". Eclipsewise. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
- ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 2025 Mar 14" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 2025 Mar 14". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros
External links
edit- Saros cycle 123
- 2025 Mar 14 chart: Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC
