Total lunar eclipses occur when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon and blocks the sunlight from reaching the lunar surface. This typically happens when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned in a straight line, with the Earth in the middle. This alignment usually occurs during a full moon phase. Lunar eclipses can only occur during a full moon, but a total lunar eclipse is rarer and requires the alignment of the Sun, Earth, and Moon to be nearly perfect.
