'Blood moon' to dazzle stargazers on March 3

Skywatchers across North America, Australia, and East Asia are set to witness a spectacular celestial event on March 3, when a rare "blood moon" total lunar eclipse lights up the night sky. The total phase of the eclipse is expected to last about 58 minutes.

A total lunar eclipse occurs when Earth moves directly between the sun and the moon, blocking sunlight from reaching the lunar surface, explained Kou Wen, an expert at the Beijing Planetarium, in an interview with China Media Group (CMG). Such alignments are uncommon, making the event a highlight for astronomy enthusiasts.

Kou also described why the moon takes on its striking reddish hue during the eclipse. As sunlight passes through Earth's thick atmosphere, shorter wavelengths are scattered, while longer red wavelengths are bent and redirected toward the moon. This process causes the Moon to glow in shades of red, orange, or bronze during the total eclipse phase.

According to Time and Date, more than 40 percent of the world's population – over three billion people – will be able to see at least part of the eclipse. The spectacle is especially significant, as it will be the last total lunar eclipse visible anywhere on Earth until the New Year period of 2028-2029.