March 2026 Total Lunar Eclipse: Your Questions Answered
A total lunar eclipse will turn the Moon red on March 3, 2026. Here’s what you need to know.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon, casting a gigantic shadow on the lunar surface and giving the Moon a dark reddish-orange hue. This alignment can only occur during a full Moon phase.
You can observe a lunar eclipse without any special equipment. All you need is a line of sight to the Moon! For a more spectacular viewing experience, seek a dark environment away from bright lights. Binoculars or a telescope can also improve your eyesight.
On March 3, totality will be visible in the evening from eastern Asia and Australia, all night in the Pacific and early in the morning over North and Central America and far western South America. The eclipse is partial in Central Asia and much of South America. No eclipse is visible in Africa or Europe.
| Milestone: | What is happening: |
| Penumbral eclipse begins (12:44 a.m. PST, 3:44 a.m. EST, 8:44 a.m. UTC) | The Moon enters the Earth’s penumbra, the outer part of the shadow. The Moon begins to weaken, but the effect is quite subtle. |
| Partial eclipse begins (1:50 a.m. PST, 4:50 a.m. EST, 9:50 a.m. UTC) | The Moon begins to enter Earth’s shadow and the partial eclipse begins. To the naked eye, when the Moon moves through the shadow, it appears as if a bite is being removed from the lunar disk. The part of the Moon inside the umbra appears very dark. |
| Totality begins (3:04 a.m. PST, 6:04 a.m. EST, 11:04 a.m. UTC) | The entire Moon is now in Earth’s shadow. The Moon is tinted a copper red. Try binoculars or a telescope for a better view. If you want to take a photo, use a tripod camera with exposures of at least several seconds. |
| End of totality (4:03 a.m. PST, 7:03 a.m. EST, 12:03 p.m. UTC) | When the Moon leaves the Earth’s shadow, the red color fades. It appears that a bite is made on the opposite side of the lunar disk as before. |
| End of partial eclipse (5:17 a.m. PST, 8:17 a.m. EST, 1:17 p.m. UTC) | The entire Moon is in Earth’s penumbra, but again the dimming is subtle. |
| Penumbral eclipse ends (6:23 a.m. PST, 9:23 a.m. EST, 2:23 p.m. UTC) | The eclipse is over. |
During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon appears dark red or orange. This is because our planet blocks most of the Sun’s light from reaching the Moon, and the light that reaches the lunar surface is filtered through a thick slice of Earth’s atmosphere. It’s as if all the sunrises and sunsets in the world were projected onto the Moon.
Learn more: Why does the Moon turn red during a solar eclipse?
As Earth’s shadow obscures the lunar surface, constellations may be easier to spot than they usually are during a full Moon. At the time of the eclipse, the Moon will be in the constellation Leo, under the lion’s hind legs.
A few days later, on March 8, look for a “conjunction” of Venus and Saturn: from our perspective on Earth, these two planets will appear close together in the sky (although they will still be very far apart in space).
Check out our What’s New guide for more skygazing tips, and find moongazing recommendations for every day of the year in our Daily Moon Guide.
Caela Barry/Ernie Wright
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
