View source for March 2026 lunar eclipse

{{Short description|Total lunar eclipse of 2 March 2026}}
{{Infobox lunar eclipse
| type       = total
| image      = Lunar eclipse chart close-2026Mar03.png
| caption    = The Moon's hourly motion shown right to left
| date       = March 3, 2026
| gamma      = −0.3765
| magnitude  = 1.1526
| saros_ser  = 133
| saros_no   = 27 of 71
| totality   = 58 minutes, 19 seconds
| partiality = 207 minutes, 10 seconds
| penumbral  = 338 minutes, 37 seconds
| p1         = 8:44:22
| u1         = 9:50:00
| u2         = 11:04:26
| greatest   = 11:33:37
| u3         = 12:02:45
| u4         = 13:17:10
| p4         = 14:22:59
| previous   = September 2025
| next       = August 2026
}}
A total [[lunar eclipse]] will occur at the Moon’s [[Lunar node|descending node]] of orbit on Tuesday, March 3, 2026,<ref>{{cite web|title=March 2–3, 2026 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2026-march-3|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=19 November 2024}}</ref> with an umbral [[Magnitude of eclipse|magnitude]] of 1.1526. A lunar eclipse occurs when the [[Moon]] moves into the [[Earth's shadow]], causing the Moon to be darkened. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon's near side entirely passes into the Earth's umbral shadow. Unlike a [[solar eclipse]], which can only be viewed from a relatively small area of the world, a lunar eclipse may be viewed from anywhere on the [[night]] side of Earth. A total lunar eclipse can last up to nearly two hours, while a total solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes at any given place, because the Moon's [[Umbra, penumbra and antumbra|shadow]] is smaller. The Moon's apparent diameter will be near the average diameter because it will occur 6.7 days after [[Apsis|perigee]] (on February 24, 2026, at 18:15 UTC) and 6.9 days before [[Apsis|apogee]] (on March 10, 2026, at 9:45 UTC).<ref>{{cite web|title=Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/distance.html?year=2026&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=19 November 2024}}</ref>

This lunar eclipse will be the third of an [[Tetrad (astronomy)|almost tetrad]], with the others being on [[March 2025 lunar eclipse|March 14, 2025]] (total); [[September 2025 lunar eclipse|September 8, 2025]] (total); and [[August 2026 lunar eclipse|August 28, 2026]] (partial).

During the eclipse, the [[Moon]] will occult [[NGC 3423]] over [[North America]].<ref name="Mus2002">{{cite book |date=2002 |first=Jan |last=Meeus |chapter=Occultations of deep-sky objects during a total lunar eclipse |pages=157-162 |title=More Mathematical Astronomy Morsels |isbn=0943396743 |url=https://falakmu.id/khgt/dokumen/More%20mathematical%20astronomy%20morsels%20(Jean%20Meeus)%20(Z-Library).pdf}}</ref>{{rp|161}}

== Visibility ==
The eclipse will be completely visible over [[northeast Asia]], northwestern [[North America]], and the central [[Pacific Ocean]], seen rising over much of [[Asia]] and [[Australia]] and setting over North and [[South America]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Total Lunar Eclipse of 2026 Mar 03|url=https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot2001/LE2026Mar03T.pdf|publisher=NASA|access-date=19 November 2024}}</ref>

{| class=wikitable
|[[File:Lunar eclipse from moon-2026Mar03.png|300px]] [[File:Lunar eclipse chart close-2026Mar03.png|300px]]
|}

== Eclipse details ==
Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.<ref>{{cite web|title=Total Lunar Eclipse of 2026 Mar 03|url=https://eclipsewise.com/lunar/LEprime/2001-2100/LE2026Mar03Tprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=19 November 2024}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable" align="{{{align|left}}}" style="margin:{{#ifeq:{{{align}}}|right|0 0 0.5em 1em|0 1em 0.5em 0}}"
|+March 3, 2026 Lunar Eclipse Parameters
! Parameter
! Value
|-
| Penumbral Magnitude
| 2.18580
|-
| Umbral Magnitude
| 1.15263
|-
| Gamma
| −0.37651
|-
| Sun Right Ascension
| 22h56m56.0s
|-
| Sun Declination
| -06°43'06.4"
|-
| Sun Semi-Diameter
| 16'08.0"
|-
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax
| 08.9"
|-
| Moon Right Ascension
| 10h56m15.0s
|-
| Moon Declination
| +06°24'05.3"
|-
| Moon Semi-Diameter
| 15'37.0"
|-
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax
| 0°57'18.7"
|-
| ΔT
| 72.1 s
|}
{{clear}}

== Eclipse season ==
{{See also|Eclipse cycle}}
This eclipse is part of an [[eclipse season]], a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two (or occasionally three) eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months (173 days) later; thus two full eclipse seasons always occur each year. Either two or three eclipses happen each eclipse season. In the sequence below, each eclipse is separated by a [[fortnight]].

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Eclipse season of February–March 2026
! [[Solar eclipse of February 17, 2026|February 17]]<br/>Ascending node (new moon)<br/> !! [[March 2026 lunar eclipse|March 3]]<br/>Descending node (full moon)<br/>
|-
| [[File:SE2026Feb17A.png|200px]] || [[File:Lunar eclipse chart close-2026Mar03.png|200px]]
|- align=center
| [[Total eclipse#Types|Annular solar eclipse]]<br />Solar Saros 121 || [[Lunar eclipse#Types of lunar eclipse|Total lunar eclipse]]<br />Lunar Saros 133
|}

== Related eclipses ==
=== Eclipses in 2026 ===
* [[Solar eclipse of February 17, 2026|An annular solar eclipse on February 17]].
* '''A total lunar eclipse on March 3.'''
* [[Solar eclipse of August 12, 2026|A total solar eclipse on August 12]].
* [[August 2026 lunar eclipse|A partial lunar eclipse on August 28]].

=== Metonic ===
* Preceded by: [[May 2022 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of May 16, 2022]]
* Followed by: [[December 2029 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of December 20, 2029]]

=== Tzolkinex ===
* Preceded by: [[January 2019 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of January 21, 2019]]
* Followed by: [[April 2033 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of April 14, 2033]]

=== Half-Saros ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of February 26, 2017]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of March 9, 2035]]

=== Tritos ===
* Preceded by: [[April 2015 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of April 4, 2015]]
* Followed by: [[January 2037 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of January 31, 2037]]

=== Lunar Saros 133 ===
* Preceded by: [[February 2008 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of February 21, 2008]]
* Followed by: [[March 2044 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of March 13, 2044]]

=== Inex ===
* Preceded by: [[March 1997 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of March 24, 1997]]
* Followed by: [[February 2055 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of February 11, 2055]]

=== Triad ===
* Preceded by: [[May 1939 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of May 3, 1939]]
* Followed by: [[January 2113 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of January 2, 2113]]

=== Lunar eclipses of 2024–2027 ===
{{Lunar eclipse set 2024-2027}}

=== Metonic series ===
{{Metonic lunar eclipse 1988-2045}}

=== Saros 133 ===
{{Lunar Saros series 133}}

=== Tritos series ===
{{Lunar Tritos series May 2004}}

=== Inex series ===
{{Lunar Inex series March 2026}}

=== Half-Saros cycle ===
A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a [[Saros_(astronomy)#Relationship_between_lunar_and_solar_saros_.28sar.29|half saros]]).<ref>Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, ''The half-saros''</ref> This lunar eclipse is related to two annular solar eclipses of [[Solar Saros 140]].

{| class=wikitable
![[Solar eclipse of February 26, 2017|February 26, 2017]]
![[Solar eclipse of March 9, 2035|March 9, 2035]]
|-
|[[File:SE2017Feb26A.png|240px]]
|[[File:SE2035Mar09A.png|240px]]
|}

==See also==
*[[List of lunar eclipses]] and [[List of 21st-century lunar eclipses]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.hermit.org/eclipse/gen_stats.cgi?mode=query&page=full&qtype=type&body=L&saros=133 Saros cycle 133]
*{{LEplot2001 link|2026|Mar|03|T}}

{{Lunar eclipses}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lunar eclipse 2026-03}}
[[Category:21st-century lunar eclipses|2026-03]]
[[Category:Future lunar eclipses|2026-03]]
[[Category:2026 in science]]