Blood moon over Israel: Total lunar eclipse to dazzle the skies on Friday 

This coming Friday, a total lunar eclipse will occur for the first time in about three years: this will provide a spectacular celestial show of "Blood Moon" for viewers around the world. The nickname "Blood Moon" was established due to the deep red-orange hue that the Moon receives during a total eclipse.

How does this phenomenon occur? A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align in a straight line, and the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow. In a total eclipse, the Moon is completely inside the darkest part of the shadow, the "ombre". At its peak, which will last about 65 minutes, the Moon will appear red due to the sunlight passing through the Earth's atmosphere: the short waves (blue and violet) are scattered, while the long waves (red and orange) reach the Moon. The more dust or clouds there are in the atmosphere, the redder the moon looks, NASA explains.

In Israel, viewers will only be able to see part of the phenomenon. The eclipse will begin at 5:57 a.m. Israeli time, when the moon will enter the outer shadow (the "penumbra") and lose some of its brightness. At 7:09, the partial phase will begin, but the full phase, which begins at 8:26 a.m., will not be visible – the moon will set below the western horizon around 8:22 a.m. For the best viewing, it is recommended to find an open spot facing west, away from urban light pollution. No special equipment is needed, and binoculars may enhance the experience.

In the Western Hemisphere, as in Huntsville, the eclipse will begin on March 13 at 10:57 p.m. local time, with the partial phase lasting until 5:00 p.m. on March 14. The full stage will start at 1:26 and end at 2:31, with a record at 1:58. "In March, there is a 50% chance of clouds due to the spring rains, but the full phase lasts about an hour, so even if there are scattered clouds, you can still see something," says Weber, a local expert at NASA.