The rare Blood Moon total lunar eclipse started lighting up the sky late Thursday with a bright full Moon. Why it matters: It's the only lunar eclipse visible from the U.S. this year and the first total lunar eclipse since November 2022. Photos captured around the world late Thursday show a bright and illuminating Moon.

Clouds drifted in and out of the D.C. area before dawn Friday, offering enough open sky for photographers around the region to capture views of the total lunar eclipse. The spectacle began at 11:57 p.