by Meghan Danahey

Thu, March 13th 2025 at 12:57 PM

Total lunar eclipse stages and timing. (Photo/source: NASA)

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The weather looks favorable across western North Carolinas to see the total lunar eclipse Thursday night into Friday morning.

Skies will be cloudy during the evening but are expected to clear going into the overnight.

The moon will enter the Earth’s shadow in a partial eclipse beginning around 1 a.m. The total eclipse begins at 2:26 a.m. and ends at 3:31 a.m. A partial eclipse will linger through 4:47 a.m.

Known as a “Blood Moon,” the moon will turn rusty red throughout totality when it is covered by the Earth’s shadow.

Unlike a solar eclipse, sky watchers can look directly at the moon and use a telescope during a lunar eclipse.

If you miss this “blood moon,” you’ll have to wait until March 3, 2026, when another lunar eclipse will be visible. According to NASA, our astronomical alignments will improve over the next few years. From 2025 to 2030, there will be 14 lunar eclipses; of those, nine will be visible in the U.S.