In a lunar eclipse, the Earth's shadow — called the umbra — blocks the sun's light from hitting the full moon, resulting in a dimmer moon with a distinct red and orange cast. It's also called a blood moon.

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.

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.