February 25, 2026
Shadow on the Moon
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Week of March 1-7, 2026
Attention, night owls and insomniacs! The sky show this week is just for you!
Much of North America is about to see the moon experience one of nature's most beautiful sky shows: a total lunar eclipse.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the full moon slips into the Earth's shadow far out in space, either partially or completely, and that's just what will happen during the wee hours of March 3. Skywatchers throughout North America will see the start of this eclipse (weather permitting, of course), but depending on where you live, you may see only a portion of the sky show. In general, the farther west you live, the more of the eclipse you will see before the moon sets behind the western horizon.
The eclipse begins at 12:44 a.m. PST (3:44 a.m. EST), when the moon enters the Earth's light outer shadow (known as the penumbra), but this shadow is so thin that no one will notice a darkening of the moon's appearance.
Within an hour or so, that will change significantly. As the moon approaches the dark inner shadow of the Earth (known as the umbra), skywatchers will notice the eastern side of the moon beginning to darken slightly.
The real show begins at 1:50 a.m. PST (4:50 a.m. EST) when the moon officially enters the umbra. No one gazing skyward will have any doubt that a "bite" has been taken out of the moon — a bite that will grow larger with each passing minute.
For the next hour or so, the moon will dim as it slips more deeply into our planet's umbra, until 3:04 a.m. PST (6:04 a.m. EST) when it's completely engulfed and the total eclipse begins. Unfortunately, those in the far eastern part of North America may miss this since the moon will lie quite close to (or even below) the western horizon.
During the total phase, the moon will take on a dim coppery hue. This occurs because sunlight passing through our atmosphere is reddened and bent inward toward the darkened surface of the eclipsed moon, now suspended eerily against the stars of Leo, the lion.
Only those viewing from the Midwest to the West Coast will see mid-eclipse, which occurs at 3:33 a.m. PST (5:33 a.m. CST). Those in the Midwest may miss the end of totality at 4:02 a.m. PST (6:02 a.m. CST), however, as the moon will be setting in the west.
The entire event will end at 5:17 a.m. PST (4:17 a.m. MST) with the moon approaching the western horizon for viewers in western North America.
Unlike an eclipse of the sun, a lunar eclipse is perfectly safe to view without protective filters. Your eyes are all you need to enjoy the show, but you'll have even more fun viewing through binoculars or a small telescope.
If the sky is cloudy that morning, or if you live where the eclipse won't be visible, you can watch a livestream of the sky show online. Visit timeanddate.com and click on "Sun, Moon & Space" at the top to find details for your location, as well as links to view the eclipse live online.
Visit Dennis Mammana at dennismammana.com. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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