In just one week, a spectacular display of orbital mechanics will be visible to billions of people across the Americas, Asia, and Oceania, as Earth’s shadow sweeps across the lunar disk, triggering the onset of an awe-inspiring ‘blood moon’ total lunar eclipse.
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You can learn more about the total lunar eclipse on March 3 with our blood moon lunar eclipse 2026 guide and keep up to date with the latest lunar eclipse content with our lunar eclipse live blog.
This phenomenon — commonly known as the blood moon — happens because Earth’s atmosphere is particularly good at scattering the shorter blue wavelengths of light while allowing longer red wavelengths to pass through relatively unhindered. This effect, known as Rayleigh scattering, is the same reason that the sky takes on magnificent shades of red and orange around sunset.
Totality will last for 58 minutes and will be visible to more than 3 billion people across parts of the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania, weather permitting.
The eclipse will kick off at 3:33 a.m. EST (0833 GMT) on March. 3 for viewers in the U.S., as Earth’s outer shadow, or penumbra, encroaches on the lunar surface, almost too subtle to be noticed with the naked eye. At 4:50 a.m. EST (0950 GMT), the more defined curve of Earth’s umbral silhouette will begin to creep steadily across the face of the moon before fully engulfing it at 6:04 a.m. EST (11:04 GMT), marking the beginning of totality.
Skywatchers in New York will witness the very beginning of the blood moon phase in the half hour before the lunar disk slips below the horizon opposite the glow of the rising sun on March. 3. Those on the West Coast in states including California, Oregon and Washington D.C. will get to witness the entirety of the eclipse, with the orbital show starting in the early hours and running through to dawn. Exact eclipse timings will vary based on your location, so be sure to check out Time and Date for a schedule tailored to your locale.
Want the best possible view of the lunar disk as it transforms into a jaw-dropping blood moon? Then be sure to read our roundup of the best telescopes and binoculars for viewing the night sky. If photography’s your thing, then you may also want to read our guide to photographing a lunar eclipse, along with our picks of the top cameras and lenses for astrophotography.
Editor’s Note: If you capture a photo of the blood moon and want to share it with Space.com’s readers, then please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.
