Peering at a Lunar Spectacle: A Moonlander's Unparalleled Vantage Point
Lunar Robot to Capture Earth in Red Moon's 'Fire Ring' During Tonight's Event
Prepare for an extraordinary event in the sky, folks! In the wee hours of March 14, 2025, Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander will catch a unique view as Earth casts a dramatic total solar eclipse, all while North America witnesses a striking "blood moon" total lunar eclipse.
From its position in the Sea of Crises, near the historic Apollo 11 landing site, Blue Ghost will gaze at a gleaming "ring of fire" surrounding Earth, a breathtaking halo of reddish light that's essentially a composite of every sunrise and sunset on the planet.
When Totality Touches the Landscape of the Moon
A total lunar eclipse occurs when our luminous satellite drifts into Earth's ominous umbral shadow, casting a dramatic reddish tint across its surface for a period of 65 minutes. For Blue Ghost, totality will commence at 1:18 a.m. CST. From its vantage point, Earth will appear as a silhouette encircled by a resplendent red ring of refracted sunlight.
Beholding the Ring of Fire
Us Earth-dwellers will marvel at the spectacle of a total lunar eclipse, but From Blue Ghost's unique perspective, it's a completely different show. To us, Earth's shadow will create a stunning "blood moon," but for the lander, it's the Earth's radiant silhouette that captivates, encircled by a luminous ring of refracted sunlight. "We're excited to capture this once-in-a-lifetime moment and share it with the world," shared Firefly in an email.
Harnessing the Power of the Red Halo
This celestial event, while easily explained by scientists, has never been witnessed directly from the moon. That's all set to change, thanks to Blue Ghost's equipped camera, designed to document this historical moment. "The red ring will probably appear somewhat small in the distance, similar to the size of Earth that Blue Ghost captured upon landing on the moon on March 2," stated Firefly (image above).
However, taking images during the eclipse will be no easy feat. Solar panels power the lander, which will be ineffective during the event. To make matters more challenging, capturing sufficient light during totality is a tall order for the lander, operating solely on battery power. "Capturing footage during the eclipse's darkness requires Blue Ghost to rely on its batteries for power, making image capture a formidable challenge," shared Firefly.
Leaving the Moon with a Memento
As lunar night descends on March 16, the mission will have one final hurrah. With its batteries, Blue Ghost will attempt to capture a high-definition video of a lunar sunset, a fitting farewell to this pioneering mission.
Blue Ghost made history as the second-ever commercial landing on the Moon, having touched down at the foot of the Mons Latreille mountain in the Sea of Crises on March 2.
When to Catch the 'Blood Moon' Total Lunar Eclipse
Clear your calendars and keep your eyes skyward! Here's your guide to the exact times for the total lunar eclipse across each U.S. state:
- Eastern: 2:26-3:31 a.m. EDT on Friday, March 14.
- Central: 1:26 a.m. to 2:31 a.m. CDT on Friday, March 14.
- Mountain: 12:26-1:31 a.m. MDT on Friday, March 14.
- Pacific: 11:26 p.m. PST on Thursday, March 13, to 12:31 a.m. PDT on Friday, March 14.
- Alaska: 10:26-11:31 p.m. ADT on Thursday, March 13.
- Hawaii: 8:26-9:31 p.m. HST on Thursday, March 13.
Stay tuned for this awe-inspiring cosmic dance!
Total solar eclipse will be visible to Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander on March 14, 2025, as it drifts through space. Approximately, the red halo of the solar eclipse's light will be captured by Blue Ghost's camera, offering a unique perspective of the event. The eclipse's wavelengths, refracted through Earth's atmosphere, will illuminate the lander's view of the lunar landscape during the total lunar eclipse.
