On March 3, 2026, a total lunar eclipse will bring a blood moon to the skies in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and eastern Asia. This means the Moon will appear coppery red in the early hours of March 3 for skywatchers in North America.

‘Blood Moon’ Total Lunar Eclipse

A total lunar eclipse occurs when Earth positions itself between the Moon and the Sun. When the Moon is in Earth’s shadow, the only light reaching the lunar surface is filtered through Earth’s atmosphere, which gives it its signature reddish hue.

Though the blood moon total lunar eclipse will be visible across the night side of Earth, the best views will be on the western half of North America, Australia, and the Pacific. And, as with any meteorological event, the views will always be best if you can find an area that has dark, clear skies. And lunar eclipses, unlike solar eclipses, are completely safe to watch with the naked eye.

Totality, or when the Moon is fully immersed in Earth’s shadow, will last 58 minutes, from 6:04 AM EST to 7:02 AM EST.

Here is a breakdown of the local times when the eclipse will be visible in North America on March 3, 2026:

• Eastern time: 6:04-7:02 AM EST
• Central time: 5:04-6:02 AM CST
• Mountain time: 4:04-5:02 AM MST
• Pacific time: 3:04-4:02 AM PST
• Alaska time: 2:04-3:02 AM AKST
• Hawaii time: 1:04-2:02 AM HST

To find out whether the eclipse will be visible from your location, visit Time and Date and 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, or when the Moon moves deepest into Earth’s shadow, will occur after moonset and won’t be visible.