A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Friday, March 14, 2025, with an umbral magnitude of 1.1804. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon's near side entirely passes into the Earth's umbral shadow. Unlike a total solar eclipse, which can only be viewed from a relatively small area of the world, a lunar eclipse may be viewed from anywhere on the night side of Earth. A total lunar eclipse can last up to nearly two hours, while a total solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes at any given place, because the Moon's shadow is smaller. Occurring about 3.4 days before apogee (March 17, 2025, at 16:37 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller than average.
This lunar eclipse was the first of an almost tetrad, with the others being on September 8, 2025 (total); March 3, 2026 (total); and August 28, 2026 (partial).
This eclipse was seen from the surface of the Moon by Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 1 lander, which captured images of the ring of light around the Earth as the Sun passed behind it and the red glow on the Moon's surface.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over North America and South America, seen rising over Australia and northeast Asia and setting over Africa and Europe.
Simulated view of earth from moonFrom moon, with IR clouds Visibility map
Gallery
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse. +March 14, 2025 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 2.26146 Umbral Magnitude 1.18038 Gamma 0.34846 Sun Right Ascension 23h37m46.0s Sun Declination -02°24'16.8" Sun Semi-Diameter 16'05.2" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.8" Moon Right Ascension 11h38m23.0s Moon Declination +02°40'54.6" Moon Semi-Diameter 14'52.8" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°54'36.8" ΔT 69.1 s
Eclipse season
This eclipse is part of an eclipse season, a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months (173 days) later; thus two full eclipse seasons always occur each calendar year and part of a third may occur. Either two or three eclipses happen each eclipse season. In the sequence below, each eclipse is separated by a fortnight.
+ Eclipse season of March 2025 March 14Descending node (full moon) March 29Ascending node (new moon) Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 123 Partial solar eclipseSolar Saros 149
Related eclipses Eclipses in 2025 A total lunar eclipse on March 14. A partial solar eclipse on March 29. A total lunar eclipse on September 7. A partial solar eclipse on September 21.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 26, 2021 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 31, 2028
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 31, 2018 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 25, 2032
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of March 9, 2016 Followed by: Solar eclipse of March 20, 2034
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 15, 2014 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 11, 2036
Lunar Saros 123 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 3, 2007 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 25, 2043
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 4, 1996 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 22, 2054
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 14, 1938 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 14, 2112
Lunar eclipses of 2024–2027
Metonic series
Saros 123
Tritos series
Inex series
Half-Saros cycle A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros Related to Solar Saros 130.
March 9, 2016March 20, 2034
See also List of 21st-century lunar eclipses Lists of lunar eclipses
References
External links
Saros cycle 123