total lunar eclipse

Total lunar eclipse of 3 March 2026

The Moon passes through Earth's shadow at 11:33 UTC. The Moon passes entirely into the umbra. It does not go dark: sunlight refracted through Earth's atmosphere reaches it, and the disc typically turns a deep copper red.

Duration

Penumbral half-duration

169.6 min

Partial half-duration

103.9 min

Total half-duration

29.7 min

Half-durations are measured from greatest eclipse, so the full phase lasts twice as long.

Why eclipses come in seasons

The Moon's orbit is tilted about 5° to the ecliptic, so at most new and full moons it passes above or below the alignment. An eclipse needs the syzygy to coincide with the Moon being near one of the two nodes where the orbits cross. At this eclipse the Moon's ecliptic latitude was -0.358° — close enough to zero for the shadow to connect.

Times computed from VSOP87 and an ELP-derived lunar theory, validated against NOVAS and JPL Horizons to within one arcminute. See the alignment for yourself in the live simulation.