Where to See the Total Lunar Eclipse on March 3

The first lunar eclipse of 2026 will transform the moon into a coppery red "blood moon" in the early hours of March 3 for skywatchers in North America.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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The long-lasting and impressive blood moon on March 3 will be visible to billions within the path of the eclipse, but the best views will be from the western half of North America, Australia and the Pacific. Totality, when the moon is fully immersed in Earth's shadow, will last 58 minutes, from 6:04 a.m. EST (1104 GMT) to 7:02 a.m. EST (1202 GMT).

Why it matters

Lunar eclipses are a rare and awe-inspiring celestial event that captivate skywatchers around the world. This particular eclipse will be visible to a large portion of the global population, making it an exciting opportunity for people to witness the transformation of the moon into a dramatic "blood moon".

The details

A total lunar eclipse occurs when Earth sits between the moon and the sun, causing the moon to sit in Earth's shadow. The only light reaching the lunar surface is filtered through Earth's atmosphere, which turns it red and gives it the name "blood moon". Though the blood moon will be visible across the night side of Earth on March 3, the best views will be from the western half of North America, Australia and the Pacific.

  • The total lunar eclipse will begin at 6:04 a.m. EST (1104 GMT) on March 3, 2026.
  • Totality, when the moon is fully immersed in Earth's shadow, will last 58 minutes, ending at 7:02 a.m. EST (1202 GMT).

The players

Earth

The planet that sits between the moon and the sun during a total lunar eclipse, casting its shadow on the lunar surface.

Moon

The celestial body that will transform into a coppery red "blood moon" during the total lunar eclipse on March 3, 2026.

Sun

The star that provides the light that is filtered through Earth's atmosphere and reaches the moon, causing it to appear red during a total lunar eclipse.

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What’s next

To find out whether the eclipse will be visible from your location, visit Time and Date, where you can enter your city to see local visibility details and exact timings.

The takeaway

This total lunar eclipse on March 3, 2026 will be a rare and awe-inspiring celestial event that will captivate skywatchers around the world. Those in the western half of North America, Australia and the Pacific will have the best views of the dramatic "blood moon" transformation.