Total Lunar Eclipse
March 3, 2026
● BLOOD MOON
Totality lasts 58 minutes. The eclipse is visible in its entirety from the Pacific; the Americas see it in the pre-dawn hours and East Asia and Australia in the evening. Visible from East Asia, Australia, the Pacific, and the Americas.
Key Facts
Global Timeline
| Stage | Time |
|---|---|
| Penumbral eclipse begins | 08:44 UTC |
| Partial (umbral) eclipse begins | 09:50 UTC |
| Totality begins | 11:04 UTC |
| Maximum eclipse | 11:34 UTC |
| Totality ends | 12:03 UTC |
| Partial (umbral) eclipse ends | 13:17 UTC |
| Penumbral eclipse ends | 14:23 UTC |
What You'll See
This is a true blood moon: the Moon passes completely into Earth's umbra. During totality, the only light reaching the lunar surface is sunlight bent through Earth's atmosphere — the blue wavelengths scatter away and the Moon glows copper-red.
Where it's visible: East Asia, Australia, the Pacific, and the Americas. A lunar eclipse is visible from anywhere the Moon is above the horizon while it is in Earth's shadow — no equipment or eye protection needed. Check your exact local circumstances with the live visibility checker.
Photographing This Eclipse
- Use a tripod and a telephoto lens (200mm+) for a large lunar disk.
- Bracket exposures: the eclipsed portion is thousands of times dimmer than the sunlit sliver.
- During totality, try ISO 400–1600 at 1/4s–2s depending on aperture.
- Full guides: Fred Espenak's lunar eclipse photography guide and Sky at Night's how-to.