{"id":133208,"date":"2025-09-10T16:42:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-10T16:42:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/133208\/"},"modified":"2025-09-10T16:42:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T16:42:09","slug":"march-2026-total-lunar-eclipse-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-next-blood-moon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/133208\/","title":{"rendered":"March 2026 total lunar eclipse: Everything you need to know about the next &#8216;blood moon&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"277e0b54-1554-45c8-baa5-92217a01d045\">On March 2-4, 2026, a total lunar eclipse will be visible from Western North America, Australia, New Zealand and East Asia, with a &#8220;blood moon&#8221; appearing for 58 minutes.<\/p>\n<p><a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/15689-lunar-eclipses.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/15689-lunar-eclipses.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lunar eclipses<\/a> happen when <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/54-earth-history-composition-and-atmosphere.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/54-earth-history-composition-and-atmosphere.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Earth<\/a> is between the <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/58-the-sun-formation-facts-and-characteristics.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/58-the-sun-formation-facts-and-characteristics.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">sun<\/a> and a full moon. During the event, the moon moves through Earth&#8217;s umbra, the dark center of its shadow.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"elk-695a7421-1a04-445a-83cc-b627fe590e53\"\/>Where will the March 2026 total lunar eclipse be visible?<\/p>\n<p id=\"c7204a6c-7af2-4879-9b8d-d2c01abdf594\">The best views of the March 2026 total lunar eclipse will be from Western North America, Australia, New Zealand, East Asia and the Pacific. According to <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.timeanddate.com\/eclipse\/lunar\/2026-march-3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Time and Date<\/a>, only 2% of the world&#8217;s population \u2014 176 million people \u2014 will see all of the phases (penumbral, partial and total) of the eclipse. However, almost 31% \u2014 2.5 billion \u2014 will see all of totality, the &#8220;blood moon&#8221; phase. Viewing conditions will depend on the local weather, with northwest Mexico, the southwest U.S. and inland Australia statistically offering the best odds of clear skies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:56.25%;\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/woQVYvQ3FALDmhUR6pEY46.jpg\" alt=\"A gray eclipse map of the world showing the various zones of totality for the March 2026 lunar eclipse\"   loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/woQVYvQ3FALDmhUR6pEY46.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/woQVYvQ3FALDmhUR6pEY46.jpg\" class=\"expandable\"\/>\n<\/p>\n<p>A map of the total lunar eclipse on March 2-4, 2026. (Image credit: F. Espenak, NASA&#8217;s GSFC)<br \/>\n<a id=\"elk-4ef959c8-13c4-4ec7-9d3e-8381da08cca3\"\/>What will happen during the total lunar eclipse?<a id=\"elk-seasonal\"\/><\/p>\n<p id=\"5eb930cb-17cf-4c2d-9d7e-7803306be270-0\">The March 2-4, 2026, event will be the first total lunar eclipse anywhere in the world since Sept. 7-8, 2025, and the last until Dec. 31, 2028 to Jan. 1, 2029, when a total lunar eclipse will occur on New Year&#8217;s Eve.<\/p>\n<p>During the March 2026 total lunar eclipse, the full &#8220;Worm Moon&#8221; will rise and, later that night, pass into Earth&#8217;s umbral shadow. As it does, the <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/16830-full-moon-calendar.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/16830-full-moon-calendar.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">full moon<\/a> will dim and gradually turn reddish-orange, which is why it&#8217;s called a &#8220;<a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/39471-what-is-a-blood-moon.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/39471-what-is-a-blood-moon.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">blood moon<\/a>.&#8221; Totality \u2014 when the entire lunar surface appears reddish-orange \u2014 will last 58 minutes. However, the entire eclipse \u2014 including the penumbral and partial phases \u2014 will last 5 hours, 38 minutes.<\/p>\n<p>This total lunar eclipse will occur seven days before the <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/55-earths-moon-formation-composition-and-orbit.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/55-earths-moon-formation-composition-and-orbit.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">moon<\/a> reaches apogee \u2014 its farthest point from Earth on its slightly elliptical orbit \u2014 making it of average apparent size.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"elk-13b050b9-5752-4e7a-8679-2b1df4c87bdd\"\/>What time is the March 2026 total lunar eclipse in North America?<\/p>\n<p id=\"f32dee22-2ce9-4001-aa70-1574f3264445\">Lunar eclipses occur at the same universal time worldwide, but the local clock time and whether the moon is above the horizon vary by location. This one will happen between 08:44 and 14:22 UTC on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 (3:44 to 9:22 a.m. EST), with the spectacular 58-minute-long totality \u2014 when the entire lunar surface will be reddish \u2014 happening between 11:04 and 12:02 UTC. That translates to the following local times in North America:<\/p>\n<p>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, 2026Mountain time: 4:04-5:02 a.m. MST on March 3, 2026Pacific time: 3:04-4:02 a.m PST on March 3, 2026Alaska time: 2:04-3:02 a.m. AKST on March 3, 2026Hawaii time: 1:04-2:02 a.m. HST on March 3, 2026<\/p>\n<p id=\"9de78cce-5e4d-4da4-a08d-b117ebb901e0\">These are the times for totality only. However, it&#8217;s worth looking at the moon about 75 minutes before these times to see the edge of Earth&#8217;s shadow inch across the lunar surface during the partial phases (and vice versa after totality, though for North America, the moon will be setting).<\/p>\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:56.25%;\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/V8vCZiKyTpqPZCgakSY2MN.jpg\" alt=\"A map of the continental US showing the zones of where totality will be for the March 2026 lunar eclipse\"   loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/V8vCZiKyTpqPZCgakSY2MN.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/V8vCZiKyTpqPZCgakSY2MN.jpg\" class=\"expandable\"\/>\n<\/p>\n<p>The path of the March 2026 total lunar eclipse over North America. (Image credit: Created by Jamie Carter using MapHub.net. Sources: Esri, Maxar, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES\/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community. Eclipse path by Xavier Jubier.)<br \/>\n<a id=\"elk-cc67acbb-cf57-45e1-972b-47e85346994c\"\/>What time is the March 2026 total lunar eclipse in the Asia-Pacific?<\/p>\n<p id=\"df23eff8-1e50-45ad-88e0-970a361ddf5b\">In the Asia-Pacific, the eclipse will occur the night of March 3-4. In parts of Southeast Asia, totality will begin as the full moon rises, dulling the effect.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s when totality will occur in various locations within the Asia-Pacific:<\/p>\n<p>New Zealand: 12:04-1:02 a.m. NZDT on March 4, 2026Sydney: 10:04-11:02 p.m. AEDT on March 3, 2026Brisbane, Australia: 9:04-10:02 p.m. AEST on March 3, 2026Adelaide, Australia: 9:34-10:32 p.m. ACDT on March 3, 2026Darwin, Australia: 8:34-9:32 p.m. on March 3, 2026Perth, Australia: 7:04-8:02 p.m. on March 3, 2026Tokyo: 8:04-9:02 p.m. JST on March 3, 2026Seoul: 8:04-9:02 p.m. KST on March 3, 2026Beijing: 7:04-8:02 p.m. CST on March 3, 2026Hong Kong: 7:04-8:02 p.m. HKT on March 3, 2026<\/p>\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:56.25%;\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rHyMcm3NZ6a5KF7zdA2xdd.jpg\" alt=\"A map of east Asia and the south Pacific showing various zones of where totality will be for the March 2026 lunar eclipse\"   loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rHyMcm3NZ6a5KF7zdA2xdd.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rHyMcm3NZ6a5KF7zdA2xdd.jpg\" class=\"expandable\"\/>\n<\/p>\n<p>The path of the March 2026 total lunar eclipse over Asia. (Image credit: Created by Jamie Carter using MapHub.net. Sources: Esri, Maxar, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES\/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community. Eclipse path by Xavier Jubier)<br \/>\n<a id=\"elk-3c1837bc-410a-4b7a-b260-636372c105bd\"\/>After March 2026, when is the next total lunar eclipse?<\/p>\n<p id=\"1de256ca-fad6-4dc2-ae4b-eb2d941813b1\">Here are the dates and locations for upcoming total lunar eclipses, plus a deep partial eclipse:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeanddate.com\/eclipse\/lunar\/2026-august-28\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Aug. 27-28, 2026<\/a>: A deep 93% partial lunar eclipse will be visible from parts of Europe, Western Asia, Africa, North America, South America, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and Antarctica.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeanddate.com\/eclipse\/lunar\/2028-december-31\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Dec. 31-Jan. 1, 2028-2029<\/a>: A total lunar eclipse will be visible from Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Northern and Western North America, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Arctic.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeanddate.com\/eclipse\/lunar\/2029-june-26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">June 25-26, 2029<\/a>: A total lunar eclipse will be visible from Europe, Western Asia, Africa, North America, South America, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and Antarctica.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeanddate.com\/eclipse\/lunar\/2029-december-20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Dec. 20-21, 2029<\/a>: A total lunar eclipse will be visible from Europe, Asia, Northern and Western Australia, Africa, North America, South America, the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean and the Arctic.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"elk-41678482-a443-4322-9b22-638f82239f7c\"\/>Additional resources:<\/p>\n<p id=\"87cb64fd-2fc3-4bac-a817-08ac34e67bd3\">Want to look further ahead? You can find a concise summary of <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/33786-lunar-eclipse-guide.html#section-future-lunar-eclipses\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/33786-lunar-eclipse-guide.html#section-future-lunar-eclipses\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">lunar eclipses out to 2026<\/a> here on Space.com. Read more about solar and lunar eclipses on <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"http:\/\/eclipsewise.com\/eclipse.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">EclipseWise.com<\/a>, a website dedicated to predictions of eclipses, and find beautiful maps on eclipse cartographer Michael Zeiler&#8217;s <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"http:\/\/eclipseatlas.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">EclipseAtlas.com<\/a> and interactive Google Maps on <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"http:\/\/xjubier.free.fr\/en\/site_pages\/solar_eclipses\/ASE_2023_GoogleMapFull.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Xavier Jubier&#8217;s<\/a> eclipse website. You can find climate and weather predictions by meteorologist Jay Anderson on <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/eclipsophile.com\/2024tse\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">eclipsophile.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"elk-826e0c48-0d5b-40eb-922d-8b0e4a50b788\"\/>Bibliography<\/p>\n<p id=\"989fafdf-2332-45dd-8bd2-339a8be43743\">Jubier, X. (n.d.). Lunar eclipses: Interactive Google Maps. Retrieved Sept. 1, 2025, from<a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"http:\/\/xjubier.free.fr\/en\/site_pages\/Lunar_Eclipses.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"> http:\/\/xjubier.free.fr\/en\/site_pages\/Lunar_Eclipses.html<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Time and Date. (n.d.). 2-3 March 2026 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon). Retrieved Sept. 1, 2025, from:<a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.timeanddate.com\/eclipse\/lunar\/2026-march-3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"> https:\/\/www.timeanddate.com\/eclipse\/lunar\/2026-march-3<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Cameron Smith, I. Total Lunar Eclipse of Mar. 3, 2026 AD. Retrieved Sept. 1, 2025, from:<a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/moonblink.info\/Eclipse\/eclipse\/2026_03_03\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"> https:\/\/moonblink.info\/Eclipse\/eclipse\/2026_03_03<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"On March 2-4, 2026, a total lunar eclipse will be visible from Western North America, Australia, New Zealand&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":133209,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[64,63,128,285],"class_list":{"0":"post-133208","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-space","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-science","11":"tag-space"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133208","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=133208"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133208\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/133209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=133208"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=133208"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=133208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}