Home   Sun, Moon & Space   Eclipses   April 12–13, 1968 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)

April 12–13, 1968 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)

This eclipse was visible in Columbus - go to local timings and animation

What This Lunar Eclipse Looked Like

The curvature of the shadow's path and the apparent rotation of the Moon's disk is due to the Earth's rotation.

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Where the Eclipse Was Seen

Try our new interactive eclipse maps. Zoom in and search for accurate eclipse times and visualizations for any location.

Regions seeing, at least, some parts of the eclipse: Europe, West in Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Antarctica.

Expand for a list of selected cities where at least part of the total eclipse was visible
Expand for a list of selected cities where the partial eclipse was visible

This eclipse was visible in Columbus - go to local timings and animation

Eclipse Map and Animation

The animation shows where this total lunar eclipse is visible during the night (dark “wave” slowly moving across the Earth's surface).

Shades of darkness

Night, moon high up in sky.

Moon between 12 and 18 degrees above horizon.

Moon between 6 and 12 degrees above horizon. Make sure you have free line of sight.

Moon between 0 and 6 degrees above horizon. May be hard to see due to brightness and line of sight.

Day, moon and eclipse both not visible.

Note: Twilight will affect the visibility of the eclipse, as well as weather.

Entire eclipse was visible from start to end

Entire partial and total phases were visible. Missed part of penumbral phase.

Entire total phase was visible. Missed part of partial & penumbral phases.

Some of the total phase was visible. Missed part of total, partial & penumbral phases.

Some of the partial phase was visible. Missed total phase and part of partial & penumbral phases.

Some of the penumbral phase was visible. Missed total & partial phases.

Eclipse was not visible at all.

Note: Areas with lighter shadings left (West) of the center will experience the eclipse after moonrise/sunset. Areas with lighter shadings right (East) of the center will experience the eclipse until moonset/sunrise. Actual eclipse visibility depends on weather conditions and line of sight to the Moon.

When the Eclipse Happened Worldwide — Timeline

Lunar eclipses can be visible from everywhere on the night side of the Earth, if the sky is clear. From some places the entire eclipse will be visible, while in other areas the Moon will rise or set during the eclipse.

Eclipse Stages Worldwide UTC Time Local Time in Columbus* Visible in Columbus
Penumbral Eclipse began Apr 13 at 02:12:35 Apr 12 at 9:12:35 pm Yes
Partial Eclipse began Apr 13 at 03:10:21 Apr 12 at 10:10:21 pm Yes
Full Eclipse began Apr 13 at 04:23:10 Apr 12 at 11:23:10 pm Yes
Maximum Eclipse Apr 13 at 04:47:23 Apr 12 at 11:47:23 pm Yes
Full Eclipse ended Apr 13 at 05:11:36 Apr 13 at 12:11:36 am Yes
Partial Eclipse ended Apr 13 at 06:24:27 Apr 13 at 1:24:27 am Yes
Penumbral Eclipse ended Apr 13 at 07:22:09 Apr 13 at 2:22:09 am Yes

* The Moon was above the horizon during this eclipse, so with good weather conditions in Columbus, the entire eclipse was visible.

Quick Facts About This Eclipse

Data Value Comments
Magnitude 1.111 Fraction of the Moon’s diameter covered by Earth’s umbra
Obscuration 100.0% Percentage of the Moon's area covered by Earth's umbra
Penumbral magnitude 2.073 Fraction of the Moon's diameter covered by Earth's penumbra
Overall duration 5 hours, 10 minutes Period between the beginning and end of all eclipse phases
Duration of totality 48 minutes Period between the beginning and end of the total phase
Duration of partial phases 2 hours, 26 minutes Combined period of both partial phases
Duration of penumbral phases 1 hour, 55 minutes Combined period of both penumbral phases

Eclipse calculations usually accurate to a few seconds

How Many People Can See This Eclipse?

Number of People Seeing... Number of People* Fraction of World Population
At least some of the penumbral phase 1,140,000,000 32.22%
At least some of the partial phase 1,010,000,000 28.49%
At least some of the total phase 726,000,000 20.47%
All of the total phase 565,000,000 15.95%
All of the total and partial phases 402,000,000 11.34%
The entire eclipse from beginning to end 367,000,000 10.37%

* The number of people refers to the resident population (as a round number) in areas where the eclipse is visible. timeanddate has calculated these numbers using raw population data provided by the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) at Columbia University. The raw data is based on population estimates from the year 2000 to 2020.

An Eclipse Never Comes Alone!

A solar eclipse always occurs about two weeks before or after a lunar eclipse.

Usually, there are two eclipses in a row, but other times, there are three during the same eclipse season.

All eclipses 1900 — 2199

This is the second eclipse this season.

First eclipse this season: March 28–29, 1968 — Partial Solar Eclipse