“Worm Moon” highlighted by lunar eclipse

St. Joseph, Mo. -- A special lunar eclipse visible in the U.S. for the first time in about two years will also bring a different look to the moon this week.

In addition to the eclipse, a phenomenon referred to by the Farmer's Almanac as a "worm moon" also will be seen. A worm moon is one of the many names traditionally given to the first full moon of March, since it occurs near the spring Equinox, marking the official beginning of the season.

Brian Bucklein, a professor at Missouri Western State University, said this worm moon is special as it also will have a reddish hue because of the eclipse.

"The Earth becomes like a giant lens and bends the light from the sun as the Earth passes between the sun and the moon," Bucklein said. "The blue light gets scattered out, so only the red light tends to pass through and illuminate the moon."

The fact that the red moon -- sometimes called a "blood moon" -- is visible over the central part of the United States on late Thursday night and just after midnight Friday morning means millions of people will be able to see it at its fullest. The fact that it is also a "worm moon" is the product of titles passed along by stories, legends and resources like the Farmer's Almanac through the years.

"'Worm moon' is one of many names this first full moon of March has been given," Bucklein said. "All of the nicknames for it all revolve around spring and regrowth: the worms become more visible in warmer weather and the birds return in the spring."

According to NASA, those in the Midwestern U.S. who want to catch the fullness of the eclipse, also called the "totality," will have to stay up late on Thursday night. The full lunar eclipse will be visible starting at 1:26 a.m. on Friday, and it will last about 66 minutes.

Bucklein said even if you miss the full eclipse, for about an hour on either side of the totality, signs of it will be visible to most people.