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A total lunar eclipse reached its maximum totality just before 2 a.m. Friday over the Illinois Valley area. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth and Moon align so that the Moon passes into Earth’s shadow. When the Moon is within the umbra, it appears red-orange. Lunar eclipses are sometimes called “Blood Moons” because of this phenomenon. The next visible one in Illinois will not occur until March 3, 2026.