How Often Do Lunar Eclipses Happen?

2024’s solar eclipse took the U.S. by storm. Everyone traveled far and wide to see its beauty in totality. News headlines were littered with eclipse safety protocols and the science behind the phenomenon. This has led many to wonder, how often do lunar eclipses happen? Learn more about the evening sibling and when your eyes should stay peeled.

What Is a Lunar Eclipse?

A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth positions itself exactly between the Moon and Sun. With the Earth in the way of the Sun’s light, the planet’s shadow falls entirely on the Moon. The darkest part of the Earth’s shadow is called the umbra, and the Moon’s appearance changes in this location. 

This change in costume is how they get their sinister nickname — Blood Moons. In the umbra, the Moon appears red. This happens because of a phenomenon called Rayleigh scattering, which describes the varying characteristics of traveling light waves. Shorter, blue wavelengths cause the sky to be blue, but during a lunar eclipse, shorter, red wavelengths remain and cast on the Moon’s surface.

Because of the way the Earth is positioned, only half of the planet will be able to see a lunar eclipse at a time. Not all lunar eclipses are quite the same. In fact, NASA notes three types of lunar eclipses, including:

• Total lunar eclipse: The aforementioned circumstance, where the Earth is sandwiched between the Moon and Sun to create a Blood Moon.
• Partial lunar eclipse: A misalignment of the three players where the Moon only goes through part of the Earth’s shadow, creating an obscured image.
• Penumbral eclipse: This is when the Moon travels through the Earth’s penumbra instead of the umbra, creating only a faint shadow over what appears to be a full moon.

If you’re going to keep tabs on any of these events, you would likely be fine missing penumbral eclipses. Most people don’t see a visible difference, except for a slight blurring of the edges and some darkness hovering over it. 

How Often Do Lunar Eclipses Happen?

The Earth is a fascinating planet with interesting traits separating it from the rest of the galaxy. Lunar eclipses happen twice yearly, though it is not always certain to be a total lunar eclipse. In some cases, the event may only happen once in a year, but this is rare.

When are the next lunar eclipses? You may have longer to wait depending on your location for a total lunar eclipse, but this should help you mark your calendar:

Date	Type	Visible Location
September 17-18, 2024	Partial	Western Hemisphere, Europe, Africa
March 13-14, 2025	Total	Western Hemisphere, the Pacific, Western Europe and Africa
September 7-8, 2025	Total	Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia
March 2-3, 2026	Total	Asia, Australia, Western Americas
August 27-28, 2026	Partial	Western Hemisphere, Europe, Africa
February 20-21, 2027	Penumbral	Worldwide, except for some parts of Northwestern North America and Eastern Asia and Australia

What if You Combine a Supermoon With a Lunar Eclipse?

There is an even more rare event, dubbed the Super Blood Wolf Moon. You may be familiar with the term “supermoon” which is when the Moon appears closer to Earth than normal. This is typical, as the distance between Earth and the Moon changes regularly. It ranges between 360,000 and 400,000 kilometers. When it’s closer, the Moon appears much bigger. What if this also happened during a lunar eclipse?

This is how you get the name Super Blood Moon. The Moon is close and it’s in the Earth’s umbra. This happened on January 21, 2019. Additionally, the first full moon of the year is referred to as the Wolf Moon. This 2019 lunar eclipse just so happened to be the Wolf Moon, giving it the legendary name Super Blood Wolf Moon. 

How Can You View a Lunar Eclipse?

You don’t need special glasses or camera equipment to view or photograph a lunar eclipse like its solar twin. It is completely safe to view with the naked eye. This is because the Sun’s rays are so potent, and the Moon doesn’t have the same ultraviolet, radiant quality — especially in the Earth’s shadow. It is only reflecting the sunlight instead of emitting it.

However, dark conditions are still optimal. You’ll want to get away from as much light pollution as possible to get the best viewing experience. Binoculars or a telescope will get you an even better look at this incredible celestial event. 

Environments to best view a bright full moon are likely fine for viewing a lunar eclipse. Totality lasts an hour — much longer than a solar eclipse. However, the event goes on for much longer. You’ll still be able to see the umbra’s cast for much longer.

What Eclipse Happens Every 100 Years?

The solar eclipse that happened on April 8, 2024, was a rarity. Total solar eclipses may only happen in specific locations once every century. 

They occur more frequently than that worldwide, but if you want to see one in your lifetime, you may need to travel elsewhere. They are usually most visible on the Earth’s poles, meaning most people will miss them when they happen. Carbondale, Illinois is a famous eclipse spot now, being subject to the 2024 eclipse and the 2017 instance on August 21.

As with most events, there are exceptions to every rule. Though astronomers have determined relatively reliable cycles for eclipses, there are always things in space that defy expectation. Most solar eclipse events are partials or hybrids — rarely a total. If you see one in your lifetime, consider yourself lucky.

How Often Do Lunar Eclipses Happen in My Lifetime?

Fortunately, you’ll have plenty of chances to see a lunar eclipse in your lifetime, compared to the more rare and evasive total solar eclipses. You may even see it by accident, but if you care about seeing the coolest events space has to offer for humans on Earth, mark your calendar. 

This is one of the safest celestial moments to view, and many people on the planet have the same opportunity. It will remind you how powerful the Sun is as the moon transforms from a coppery red to its characteristic pale white once again.