The rare Blood Moon total lunar eclipse started lighting up the sky late Thursday with a bright full Moon. Why it matters: It's the only lunar eclipse visible from the U.S. this year and the first total lunar eclipse since November 2022.

Earth’s shadow will block most of the light that illuminates the lunar surface, creating what is known as a blood moon.

March's full "Blood Worm Moon," a phenomenon that makes the moon appear red during a total lunar eclipse, is visible this week for Americans and others in Earth's Western Hemisphere.The full moon reaches peak illumination at 2:55 a.