"Blood moon" lunar eclipse lights up western Pennsylvania skies
A total "blood moon" lunar eclipse peaked overnight and lit up skies across the Pittsburgh area and throughout western Pennsylvania.
The total eclipse began Friday at 2:26 a.m. and lasted for nearly an hour. During that time period, the moon became completely covered by Earth's shadow and took on a reddish-orange color, which is why some call this a "blood moon."
A viewing party for the eclipse was held overnight at the observatory at the Sis and Herman Dupré Science Pavilion's observatory on Saint Vincent College's campus in Unity Township, Westmoreland County.
More than a dozen people were in attendance for the viewing party to take in the night sight and the eclipse.
"Me and all my buddies in the physics club, we love space," said Jude Pontzer. "It's why we fell in love with physics. There's so many other facets of physics, but this is generally one of the main reasons why we all fell in love with it. Seeing this event with our moon, something we see every single night, but it's extraordinary tonight."
"I think it's just beautiful to be able to marvel at the insanity of the natural world," said Drew Joyce. "It's really why I do physics and why I love astronomy and I just hope to be able to share that with everybody else here at events like this."
The total eclipse was even visible in places with lots of light, like in Pittsburgh's Strip District.
The next total lunar eclipse in the Pittsburgh area will be March 3, 2026.
