Blood moon: When the lunar eclipse happens tomorrow - and how to have a chance of seeing it

In the full lunar eclipses, the moon drifts into the shadow of the Earth. The Earth’s atmosphere then bends light from the sun and bathes the moon in a coppery red hue.

The first blood moon will start at 3.57am GMT on March 14, when the Moon starts to enter the Earth's shadow and the phenomenon will become fully visible in the UK - and especially London - a couple of hours later. The moon will start to turn noticeably red at around 5.30am and will be most visible just before 6.30am on Friday.

The eclipse's peak is expected to occur at 6.58am, but the Moon will be below the horizon by then, so it won’t be visible from the ground.

Astronomer Jake Foster at the Royal Observatory Greenwich said: “When the Earth comes between the sun and the moon, the only sunlight that can reach the moon must first pass through the Earth’s atmosphere. As sunlight enters the atmosphere, different wavelengths (and therefore colours) of light will be scattered and bounced around by differing amounts. Blue light scatters a great deal, which is why our skies are blue.

“Red light is mostly unaffected by the gases of the atmosphere, so it travels all the way through them and out the other side where it can shine on the moon, making it appear red.”

“The moon will be very low in the sky just above the western horizon, so the best place to see it will be somewhere with a clear view of the west, free of any obstructions like tall trees or buildings,” Mr Foster said.

On the chances of seeing the eclipse, Oli Claydon, spokesman for the Met Office, said: “The best chance of clear skies on Friday morning will be in southern Wales and southern England. There will be some cloud across parts of the UK further north, but with some breaks there could still be a chance of seeing the lunar eclipse further north too.”

Astronomy enthusiasts should find as high a vantage point as possible when the moon is low in the south west, and photographers should use the longest lens possible to take pictures that show details of the lunar surface.

The eclipse coincides with a super moon, when the Moon is at its closest to Earth, making it appear larger and brighter than usual. The last blood moon visible from the UK was a partial eclipse on October 28, 2023, and the next one will be another total eclipse on September 7 this year.

Supermoons in 2025

• Wolf Moon: January 13 at 10:27 PM
• Snow Moon: February 12 at 1:53 PM
• Worm Moon: March 14 at 6:55 AM
• Pink Moon: April 13 at 1:22 AM
• Flower Moon: May 12 at 5:56 PM
• Strawberry Moon: June 11 at 8:44 AM
• Buck Moon: July 10 at 9:37 PM
• Sturgeon Moon: August 9 at 8:55 AM
• Corn Moon: September 7 at 7:09 PM
• Harvest Moon: October 7 at 4:48 AM
• Beaver Moon: November 5 at 1:19 PM
• Cold Moon: December 4 at 11:14 PM