Total Lunar Eclipse at the Westport Observatory
We open up the WAS campus to the public early in the morning (weather permitting) on March 14th from 1 am to 3:40 am EDT to observe the clockwork of the solar system as our satellite moves into Earth’s shadow. Please check our social media posts before you come to make sure we can open: Facebook, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, Bluesky and Mastodon. We expect to be able to see at least the first part of the eclipse, but thickening low clouds may be a problem as the morning progresses. A quick glance at the sky before you leave your house will tell you plenty. If you can’t see the Moon, we can’t either.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that the Moon passes into Earth’s shadow. In a total lunar eclipse, the entire Moon falls within the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, called the umbra. When the Moon is within the umbra, it appears red-orange. Lunar eclipses are sometimes called “Blood Moons” because of this phenomenon.
You don’t need any special equipment to observe a lunar eclipse, although binoculars or a telescope will enhance the view. A dark environment away from bright lights makes for the best viewing conditions.
This eclipse will be visible from Earth’s Western Hemisphere.
What can I expect to observe?
| Milestone: | What’s happening: |
| Penumbral eclipse begins (11:57pm EDT, 03:57 UTC) | The Moon enters the Earth’s penumbra, the outer part of the shadow. The Moon begins to dim, but the effect is quite subtle. |
| Partial eclipse begins ( 1:09am EDT, 05:09 UTC) | The Moon begins to enter Earth’s umbra and the partial eclipse begins. To the naked eye, as the Moon moves into the umbra, it looks like a bite is being taken out of the lunar disk. The part of the Moon inside the umbra appears very dark. |
| Totality begins (2:26am EDT, 06:26 UTC) | The entire Moon is now in the Earth’s umbra. The Moon is tinted a coppery red. Try binoculars or a telescope for a better view. If you want to take a photo, use a camera on a tripod with exposures of at least several seconds. |
| Totality ends (3:31am EDT, 07:31 UTC) | As the Moon exits Earth’s umbra, the red color fades. It looks as if a bite is being taken out of the opposite side of the lunar disk from before. |
| Partial eclipse ends (4:47am EDT, 08:47 UTC) | The whole Moon is in Earth’s penumbra, but again, the dimming is subtle. |
| Penumbral eclipse ends (6:00am EDT, 10:00 UTC) | The eclipse is over. |
*** There is a partial solar eclipse visible from Westport with views of the rising sun on the morning of March 29th, 2025 but it is NOT VISIBLE from the Westport Observatory – please use proper eye protection. The next total solar eclipse visible from Westport is on the morning of May 1, 2079 with views of the rising sun. The next total lunar eclipse is visible from the Westport Observatory on March 3, 2026.
More on NASA’s “What You Need To Know About the March 2025 Total Lunar Eclipse”
Date
- Mar 14 2025
- Expired!
Time
- 1:00 am - 3:40 am
Local Time
- Timezone: America/New_York
- Date: Mar 14 2025
- Time: 1:00 am - 3:40 am
Labels
- Star Party
Location
- 182 Bayberry Lane, Westport, CT 06880
