What is a lunar eclipse? What Nevadans need to know about Thursday's celestial event.

The countdown for the year's first (and only) total lunar eclipse begins.

The celestial event, which will see the moon change to rusty red hues, will occur in the U.S. on the night of March 13-14. According to NASA, another total lunar eclipse won't be visible in the U.S. until March 2026.

Unlike the total solar eclipse in April 2024, the upcoming total lunar eclipse, the first since November 2022, doesn't require special equipment to witness safely.

Here's what makes the lunar eclipse special and different from a solar eclipse.

What is an eclipse?

An eclipse occurs when any celestial object — like a moon or a planet — passes between two other bodies, obscuring the view of objects like the sun, according to NASA.

What is a lunar eclipse?

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon and the sun are on exact opposite sides of Earth. When this happens, Earth blocks the sunlight that normally reaches the moon. Instead of that sunlight hitting the moon’s surface, Earth's shadow falls on it.

Story continues after photo gallery.

What is the umbra in an eclipse?

During an eclipse, two shadows are cast, writes NASA. The first and innermost darkest shadow is called the umbra (pronounced UM bruh). This dark cone-like shadow gets smaller the further it gets away from the sun.

What does penumbra mean?

The second shadow in an eclipse is known as the penumbra (pronounced peh NUM bruh). This partial outer shadow is lighter than the umbra and gets larger as it goes away from the sun.

What is a "blood moon'?

Lunar eclipses are often also referred to as "blood moons" because when the Earth's shadow covers the moon, it often produces a red color. The coloration happens because a bit of reddish sunlight still reaches the moon's surface, even though it's in Earth's shadow.

The uncommon celestial phenomenon, which Americans haven't had the opportunity to witness for nearly three years, can only occur when the moon is full and aligning perfectly with the Earth and sun.

What is a solar eclipse?

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes in between the Earth and the sun, blocking its light from reaching Earth and leading to a minutes-long period of darkness.

The resulting "totality," whereby observers can see the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere, known as the corona, presents a spectacular sight for viewers and sometimes confuses animals — causing nocturnal creatures to stir and birds and insects to fall silent.

Partial eclipses, when some part of the sun remains visible, are the most common, making total eclipses a rarer sight.

Difference between lunar eclipse and solar eclipse

The major difference between the two eclipses is in the positioning of the sun, the moon and the Earth and the longevity of the phenomenon, according to NASA.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth comes in the way of the sun’s light hitting the moon while a solar eclipse happens when the moon comes in between the sun and casts its shadow on Earth.

A lunar eclipse can last for a few hours, while a solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes. Solar eclipses also rarely occur, while lunar eclipses are comparatively more frequent. While at least two partial lunar eclipses happen every year, total lunar eclipses are rare, says NASA.

Another major difference between the two is that for lunar eclipses, no special glasses are needed to view the spectacle and one can directly stare at the moon. However, for solar eclipses, it's important to wear proper viewing glasses and take the necessary safety precautions, as the powerful rays of the sun can burn and damage your retinas.

When does the March 2025 total lunar eclipse begin in Nevada?

Nevadans can begin watching the eclipse beginning at 8:57 p.m. PT on March 13 when the penumbral phase begins, during which the moon travels through Earth’s penumbra, or the faint outer part of its shadow, according to NASA.

Skywatchers will need to exercise patience because the full eclipse will take a while to complete. The agency predicts the moon will complete all of the eclipse phases in just over 6 hours and will end at 3 a.m. PT.

What will you see during the total lunar eclipse?

From start to finish, a total lunar eclipse is a magnificent sight to behold. Here's what Nevadans will be seeing during the event, writes NASA:

• 8:57 p.m., Penumbral eclipse begins: The moon enters the Earth’s penumbra, the outer part of the shadow. The moon begins to dim, but the effect is quite subtle.
• 10:09 p.m., Partial eclipse begins: 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.
• 11:26 p.m., Totality begins: 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.
• 12:31 a.m., Totality ends: 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.
• 1:47 a.m., Partial eclipse ends: The whole moon is in Earth’s penumbra, but again, the dimming is subtle.
• 3 a.m., Penumbral eclipse ends: The eclipse is over.

Will skies be clear in Reno during the March 2025 total lunar eclipse?

Though the lunar eclipse will be visible across North America, it is uncertain if the skies will be clear enough for Northern Nevadans to see the full show in the sky. Following an atmospheric river passing through the area on Wednesday, skies will be partly cloudy on Thursday.

If Renoites do try to catch a glimpse through the clouds Thursday night, make sure to bundle up. The low will be around 26 and gusts up to 30 mph are possible.

Contributing: Eric Lagatta, Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff.

Carly Sauvageau contributed to this report.