March 2026 'Blood Moon': Everything you need to know about the upcoming total lunar eclipse

Totality will begin at 11:04 UTC and will last nearly an hour.
BY PRANJAL PRANIT
UPDATED FEB 12, 2026
A landscape scene of a Beaver Blood Moon over Denver, Colorado at night. (Representative Image Source: Getty | Wirestock)
A landscape scene of a Beaver Blood Moon over Denver, Colorado at night. (Representative Image Source: Getty | Wirestock)

According to NASA, a total lunar eclipse will transform the Moon into a striking 'Blood Moon' on March 3, 2026, captivating skywatchers across much of the world. Totality, when the Moon is fully immersed in Earth’s shadow, will last nearly an hour from 11:04 UTC (6:04 am EST) to 12:03 UTC (7:03 am EST). The entire event will span over five hours, starting with the penumbral phase at 8:44 UTC (3:44 am EST), which will end at 14:23 UTC (9:23 am EST). Viewers in eastern Asia, Australia, the Pacific, North and Central America, and western South America will see the full spectacle in the evening or early morning hours under clear skies. 

The blood moon lunar eclipse over New Orleans, home to NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility, is shown from full moon to totality as it moves into the Earth’s umbral shadow (Image Source: NASA Image and Video Library | NASA)
The blood moon lunar eclipse over New Orleans, home to NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility, is shown from full moon to totality as it moves into the Earth’s umbral shadow (Representative Image Source: NASA Image and Video Library | NASA)

This eclipse can be seen by anyone with a clear view of the Moon, with just their eyes. Unlike solar eclipses, no protective gear is needed to enjoy this particular event. Binoculars or a telescope enhance details like surface features bathed in red light, while a dark site away from city lights is certain to improve observation. During this time, the Moon will appear in the constellation Leo, near the hind paws, making constellation features easier to spot as Earth’s shadow dims its usual brightness. 

The full Strawberry Moon sets behind the Statue of Liberty on June 4, 2023, in New York City. (Representative Photo by Gary Hershorn / Getty Images)
The full Strawberry Moon sets behind the Statue of Liberty on June 4, 2023, in New York City. This phenomenon is different from a lunar eclipse and results from the Moon being close to the horizon. (Representative Photo by Gary Hershorn / Getty Images)

Lunar eclipses happen when Earth positions itself directly between the Sun and a full Moon, casting a shadow so vast that it engulfs the lunar surface wholly during totality. This precise alignment is vastly predictable, but the Moon’s tilted orbit prevents monthly events. During the penumbral phase, the Moon enters the outer part of the Earth's shadow and begins dimming before beginning to enter the umbra—the central portion of the Earth's shadow—thus marking the start of what is known as the partial phase. During totality, sunlight bends through Earth’s atmosphere, scattering blue light in all directions while projecting red and orange lights onto the Moon, creating a Blood Moon in the process. This phenomenon is known as Rayleigh scattering and is the thing responsible for sunrises and sunsets appearing red or orange in hue from here on Earth. 

A string of four total lunar eclipses illuminated North American skies in April (Cover Image Source: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center)
The moon dipping in and out of totality. (Representative Image Source: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center)

Photographers around the world captured some amazing images of the last blood moon during the total lunar eclipse in September 2025, showcasing its eerie red glow from diverse locations like Japan, Egypt, India, and beyond. The March 2026 total lunar eclipse will present similar photographic opportunities, with a decent totality duration and wide visibility across continents, inviting skywatchers to document the event once more.

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