A total lunar eclipse is coming. What to know about the 'blood moon'

In the early morning hours of March 3, a totallunar eclipsewill pass over the United States.

The "blood moon" eclipse will cause the moon to exhibit a reddish hue, according toNASA. It will be visible in parts of the world beginning in the evening and going into the early morning, NASA said.

Here's everything to know about the phenomenon as it approaches.

See stunning images of the 2025 'Blood Moon' and total lunar eclipse

What is a total lunar eclipse?

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the sun and the moon, creating a shadow across the lunar surface, which turns the moon's color reddish-orange. Our planet blocks most of the sun's light from reaching the moon, but the Earth's movement during the eclipse will cause the natural satellite to develop a color.

The moon typically exhibits a grey color because light that reaches the lunar surface is often filtered through Earth's atmosphere.

It's only possible to observe an eclipse during a full moon phase, according to NASA. An eclipse can be observed from anywhere with a direct view of the natural satellite.

Where will the eclipse be visible?

The eclipse will be visible in eastern Asia and Australia in the evening and throughout the night in the Pacific. In the early morning, it will be visible in North and Central America, in addition to far western South America, NASA has said.

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In central Asia and much of South America, the eclipse will only be partially visible. There will be no visibility in Africa or Europe.

What time will the eclipse be visible?

Stargazers can observe the eclipse on March 3 from 4 a.m. EST to around 7 a.m. EST, while a partial eclipse will continue until roughly 9 a.m. EST.

Anyone seeking more information on how to view the eclipse, stars and planets can visit NASA'sWhat's Up guide. Binoculars or a telescope are recommended for enhanced views, as is watching the eclipse from a dark environment away from bright lights.

What else is visible during an eclipse?

More:How to view the 2026 'Blood Moon' total lunar eclipse

An eclipse can also make stars and constellations more visible. During the upcoming eclipse, the moon will be in the constellation Leo under the lion's hind paws, according toNASA.

Venus and Saturn will also appear closer to each other in the night sky on March 8.

Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at mdelrey@usatoday.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Total lunar eclipse is days away. What to know about the 'blood moon'

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

March 01, 2026

A total lunar eclipse is coming. What to know about the 'blood moon'

In the early morning hours of March 3, a totallunar eclipsewill pass over the United States. The "blood m...

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US wins the Sydney leg of Sail GP, showing its class in light winds

SYDNEY (AP) — The United States showed its mastery of light conditions by winning the Sydney leg of the SailGP series Sunday, beating Britain and Spain in a three boat final.

Australia SailGP

Racing took place in winds of between 8 and 15 knots (9 to 17 mph) and the United States looked in its element, clearly beating Britain for its first win of the season.

Driver Taylor Canfield positioned the United States at the top end of the starting line in the final and, while Britain crossed slightly ahead, the USA was faster and had a better angle. Britain was just ahead at the first mark but the United States again had better speed and took a lead which it didn't concede for the rest of the race.

Britain split away on the second leg, looking for better wind. But the tactic didn't work and the United States positioned itself well to cement its advantage.

First win in two seasons

While the United States achieved a best speed of the day of around 41 knots, it only managed to stay on its foils for 22 percent of the finals. The win was its first in two seasons, since Cadiz in season four.

SailGP features 13 identical 50 foot catamarans which rise out of the water on foils and can attain high speeds. In the previous event of the series in Auckland, New Zealand strong winds saw boats achieve speeds of around 100kmh (60mph).

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Only 11 boats were able to contest the Sydney event. France and New Zealand are still undergoing repairs after colliding in Auckland ina crashwhich sent a crewperson from both teams to hospital. New Zealand sailor Louis Sinclair suffered compund fractures to both legs and French strategist Manon Audinet suffered chest injuries.

Britain won the first of three fleet races Sunday. The United States won the second race and Denmark won the third.

TheBritish team won the first eventof the sixth SailGP season in Perth, Australia and Australia's Flying Roos won the Auckland event.

After three events, Britain leads the overall standings with 29 points from Australia with 25 and the USA with 20.

AP sports:https://apnews.com/sports

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

March 01, 2026

US wins the Sydney leg of Sail GP, showing its class in light winds

SYDNEY (AP) — The United States showed its mastery of light conditions by winning the Sydney leg of the SailGP series Sun...

Read More

Zimbabwe wins toss and opts to bat against South Africa in Super 8 matchup at T20 World Cup

DELHI, India (AP) — Sikandar Raza won the toss and Zimbabwe opted to bat against South Africa in their final Super 8 game at the 2026T20 World Cupon Sunday.

South Africa and Zimbabwe T20 WCup Cricket

South Africa has already qualified for the semifinals from Group 1, while Zimbabwe has been knocked out after two successive losses.

Co-host and defending champion India will battle against the West Indies later on Sunday in Kolkata for the second semifinal spot from this group.

England and New Zealand have qualified for the semifinals from Group 2. Pakistan and co-hosts Sri Lanka were knocked out.

Zimbabwe has made one change to its line-up with wrist spinner Graeme Cremer coming back into the side for medium pacer Richard Ngarava.

South Africa, the only unbeaten team in the tournament, has opted to test its bench strength ahead of the semifinal and made three changes.

Pacers Kewna Maphaka and Anrich Nortje, along with all-rounder George Linde, get a game. Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj along with pacers Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada have been rested.

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The pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi should aid batters and a high-scoring game could be in the offing.

Zimbabwe: Tadiwanashe Marumani, Brian Bennett, Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza (captain), Ryan Burl, Tony Munyonga, Clive Madande, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Graeme Cremer, Blessing Muzarabani

South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Anrich Nortje, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi

AP cricket:https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

March 01, 2026

Zimbabwe wins toss and opts to bat against South Africa in Super 8 matchup at T20 World Cup

DELHI, India (AP) — Sikandar Raza won the toss and Zimbabwe opted to bat against South Africa in their final Super 8 game...

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At least 9 killed as Shiites storm US Consulate in Pakistan over killing of Iran's supreme leader

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — At least nine people were killed and about two dozen were wounded in violent clashes with police and paramilitary forces Sunday after hundreds of protesters stormed the U.S. Consulate in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, authorities said.

APTOPIX Pakistan Iran US Israel

The violence came hours after the United States and Israel attacked Iran and killed the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Police and officials at a hospital in Karachi said at least 25 people were also wounded in the clashes and some of them were in critical condition.

Summaiya Syed Tariq, a police surgeon at the city's main government hospital, confirmed that initially six bodies and multiple injured people were brought to the facility. However, she said the death toll rose to nine after three critically wounded died.

Karachi is the capital of southern Sindh province and Pakistan's largest city.

Senior police official Irfan Baloch said protesters briefly attacked the perimeter of the U.S. Consulate but were later dispersed. "The situation is now fully under our control," Baloch said.

He dismissed as baseless reports that any part of the consulate building was set on fire. However, he said protesters torched a nearby police post and smashed windows of the consulate before security forces arrived and regained control.

Witnesses said dozens of Shiite protesters remained gathered about a kilometer (half a mile) from the consulate, urging others to join them. They said one of the protesters had tried to burn a window of the consulate before security forces arrived there and dispersed the demonstrators.

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The provincial government of Sindh in a statement urged citizens to express their views peacefully and warned against engaging in violence.

Shiites also held a peaceful rally in Multan, a city in Punjab province, chanting slogans against Israel and the United States. Mamoona Sherazi, who attended the rally, said she was protesting the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader. She described Khamenei as a fatherly figure and a strong voice for Shiites, adding that he also supported Sunni Muslims facing oppression. "God willing, we will never bow before America and Israel," she said.

Shiites also held a rally near the U.S. Consulate in Lahore, the capital of eastern Punjab province, police said. Faisal Kamran, a senior police official, said demonstrators tried to protest outside the consulate but were not allowed. Police dispersed the crowd when they tried to march toward the building, he said.

A rally was also planned in the capital, Islamabad, and elsewhere in the country. Authorities said the government has stepped up security around the U.S. Embassy in the capital, and consulates across the country to avoid any further violence.

Shiites make up roughly 15% of Pakistan's population of about 250 million and represent one of the largest Shiite communities in the world. They have frequently staged anti-Israel and anti-U.S. rallies in the past, though clashes of this scale are rare.

Ahmed reported from Islamabad. Associated Press writers Babar Dogar in Lahore, Pakistan, and Asim Tanveer in Multan, Pakistan, contributed to this story.

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

March 01, 2026

At least 9 killed as Shiites storm US Consulate in Pakistan over killing of Iran's supreme leader

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — At least nine people were killed and about two dozen were wounded in violent clashes with police...

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Cliff-hanger derby caps Rugby League's return to Las Vegas in pursuit of new American fans

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Rugby league's bid to crack into the U.S. sports market returned to Las Vegas on Saturday with its mission to convert Americans to thisrugged brand of footballdrawing almost 50,000 fans to Allegiant stadium.

Australia National Rugby League US

It's the third consecutive year Australia's National Rugby League has showcased the gritty sport in the entertainment capital.

How many locals showed up among the thousands of traveling fans from Australia and England on a day that saw three matches was not immediately clear, but the showcase delivered on the entertainment stakes capped by a cliffhanger between two historic rivals.

The NRL has committed until 2028 to play regular season matches in Las Vegas as part of a strategic plan to broaden an international audience for the sport and increase its sports betting revenue by playing Prime Time in the entertainment capital.

Australia has been courting the US market since 1987when it played a State of Origin match between New South Wales and Queensland in Long Beach.

Bulldogs in derby win

A field goal in the second period of 'golden point' extra time by Canterbury Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton decided a brutally physical encounter against the St. George-Illawarra Dragons.

Tied at 14-14 at the end of regulation and with both teams missing chances in the first period of extra time, Crichton stepped up from 20 meters (yards) to nervelessly slot home his kick to give the Bulldogs a dramatic victory.

Crichton had earlier played in winger Jacob Kiraz for Canterbury's second try after Jacob Preston had opened the scoring for Canterbury.

The Dragons twice leveled the match with a rare try by prop Emre Guler, while Setu Tu scored acrobatically in the corner for a try on his NRL debut.

Dragons half Kyle Flanagan kicked a penalty goal in the final minutes of regulation to tie the game and force extra time.

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Knights upset Cowboys

Earlier, the Newcastle Knights stunned the North Queensland Cowboys 28-18 in the NRL season opener.

The match was in the balance at 22-18 in the last 10 minutes, before Braidon Burns was penalized for a high hit on Knights star Kalyn Ponga and was sent to the sin bin by referee Ashley Klein.

Newcastle, which finished bottom of the NRL standings last season, seized on the extra man advantage with prop forward Trey Mooney barging over to seal the win.

Newcastle raced to a 12-0 lead with tries from Greg Marzhew and Fletcher Sharpe, before the Cowboys rallied after Heilum Luki and Murray Taulagi scored to level at 12-12 at half time.

Bradman Best and Dominic Young scored a quickfire double for the Knights after the break before Taulagi's second try narrowed the deficit.

Leeds thump Hull KR

Maika Sivo scored four tries as the Leeds Rhinos thumped Hull KR 56-8 in the first match at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday featuring two English clubs.

The Rhinos stormed to a 28-0 halftime lead. Converted tries to Brodie Croft, Keenan Palasia, Ryan Hall and a double to Sivo set the tone.

Leeds maintained momentum in the second half with former Parramatta Eel Sivo scoring twice more, while Croft added a second try and Cooper Jenkins crashed over twice.

Hull's only reply came through Joe Burgess, a lone consolation after their World Club Challenge win over theBrisbane Broncoslast week.

AP sports:https://apnews.com/sports

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

March 01, 2026

Cliff-hanger derby caps Rugby League's return to Las Vegas in pursuit of new American fans

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Rugby league's bid to crack into the U.S. sports market returned to Las Vegas on Saturday with its m...

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Knight delivers joke during 'SNL' appearance featuring US men and women hockey gold medal winners

This time it was Hilary Knight's turn to provide a big laugh — with an assist from the "Saturday Night Live" writers — in the wake of a weeklong dust-up involving theUnited States women and men's Olympic gold medal-winning hockey teams.

Knight, the U.S. women's captain, along with teammate Megan Keller and men's team brothers Jack and Quinn Hughes, made a surprise appearance during "Heated Rivalry" star Connor Storrie's opening monologue on "SNL" on Saturday night.

With the Hughes brothers already on stage alongside Storrie, Knight and Keller joined them to a loud and lengthy ovation. The four players wore USA jerseys with their gold medals draped from their necks.

Knight opened by saying: "It was going to be just us, but we thought we'd invite the guys, too."

The remark was a clear reference to a controversy that arose when the men received a congratulatory call from President Donald Trump following their2-1 overtime win against Canadaon Sunday at theMilan Cortina Games.

Addressing the team over a speakerphone, Trump invited the men to his State of the Union speech, before adding he'd have to also invite the women, too. The president later said if he didn't invite the women, he'd risk being impeached, which led to the players laughing at a comment many saw as sexist.

Knight on Wednesdayreferred to the joke as being "distasteful and unfortunate."

Many of the men, meantime, said they laughed while being caught up in the celebration. Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman acknowledged they "should have reacted differently" to Trump's remarks.

The U.S. women, who also beatCanada 2-1 in overtimethree days earlier, politelydeclined Trump's invitation due to travel plans. The players traveled commercially and returned to North America late Monday evening, well after the men, who traveled on a charter flight paid for by the NHL and NHL Players' Association.

Jack Hughes scored the overtime goal for the men.

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Keller scored the overtime goal for the women, with Knight tying the game in the final minutes of regulation.

Knight plays for the PWHL's Seattle Torrent, and made the trip to New York City a day after beingplaced on long-term injured reserve. Keller, who plays for Boston, scrambled to New York hours after playing in the Fleet's 3-2 shootout win at Ottawa earlier in the day.

Jack Hughes plays for the NHL New Jersey Devils, and Quinn for the Minnesota Wild.

Knight delivered another punchline after Quinn Hughes said the last time the men won gold was 46 years ago at the 1980 Lake Placid Games.

Knight followed by saying the women last won in 2018.

Laughing, Jack Hughes responded by saying, "nice burn," before turning to Storrie and saying: "These gold medals aren't just for us, they're for all hockey fans, yours' too."

When Storrie asked if he could try on one of the medals, all four players turned and said, "No."

"Heated Rivalry" has quickly become a hitfollowing its first season onHBO Max. Adapted from Rachel Reid's novel published in 2019, it features a plot revolving around a gay hockey romance in which two players from opposing teams carry out a secret, long-term relationship.

AP Olympic coverage:https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

March 01, 2026

Knight delivers joke during 'SNL' appearance featuring US men and women hockey gold medal winners

This time it was Hilary Knight's turn to provide a big laugh — with an assist from the "Saturday Night Live...

Read More