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.
The long-lasting and impressive blood moon on March 3 will be visible to billions within the path of the eclipse, but exactly what you’ll see depends on where you are watching it from.
What is a total lunar eclipe?
A total lunar eclipse occurs when Earth sits between the moon and the sun. With the moon sitting in Earth’s shadow, the only light reaching the lunar surface is filtered through Earth’s atmosphere, which turns it red, earning it the name blood moon.
Best places to see the lunar eclipse
Though the blood moon total lunar eclipse 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.
You’ll have the best view if you’re able to get yourself somewhere dark with clear skies.
Read more: 10 best places to see the ‘blood moon’ total lunar eclipse on March 3
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).
That translates to the following local times in North America:
- Eastern time: 6:04-7:02 a.m. EST on March 3, 2026 (the moon will set during totality in the Eastern time zone)
- Central time: 5:04-6:02 a.m. CST on March 3, 2026
- Mountain time: 4:04-5:02 a.m. MST on March 3, 2026
- Pacific time: 3:04-4:02 a.m PST on March 3, 2026
- Alaska time: 2:04-3:02 a.m. AKST on March 3, 2026
- Hawaii time: 1:04-2:02 a.m. HST on March 3, 2026
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. In New York, for example, observers will see the moon slip into totality and turn blood red but maximum eclipse, when the moon moves deepest into Earth’s shadow, will occur after moonset and won’t be visible.
What to expect
Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely safe to watch with the naked eye. When the eclipse unfolds, you’ll gradually see the shift from a bright silver moon to a deep red as Earth’s shadow sweeps across it. It’s like watching all the phases of the moon at high speed!