The first total lunar eclipse in more than two years lit up the sky last night as humanity, forever fascinated with the Earth’s only natural satellite, watched.

Sometimes sleep takes priority over cool celestial events. Luckily, you can catch a partial solar eclipse this month and a blood moon again in 2026.

Its primary objective following the March 2 touchdown inside Mare Crisium crater was to deliver 10 NASA instruments designed to gather lunar subsurface data. But the eastern edge of the moon’s near east side also provided a perfect spot for viewing a solar eclipse from the moon’s point of view.

According to Dr. Angela Speck, a professor of astrophysics and department chair for physics and astronomy at The University of Texas at San Antonio, the "blood moon" total lunar eclipse was visible across the U.S. and no special equipment was necessary to view it.

In the Americas alone more than one billion people in 35 countries could bear witness to the total lunar eclipse.

Exactly two weeks after the "blood moon" total lunar eclipse comes a partial solar eclipse visible to some in North America. Here's when and where to sse it.

Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 lunar lander snapped incredible photographs of the March 13–14 total lunar eclipse, as seen from the moon

Stargazers around the world caught the first sign of the lunar event, which began at 05:09 GMT, on a livestream run by LA's Griffith Observatory. A lunar eclipse happens when Earth moves directly between the Sun and the Moon, blocking sunlight and casting a shadow on the Moon's surface.