March 2026 lunar eclipse

A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, with an umbral magnitude of 1.1507. 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 shadow is smaller. The Moon's apparent diameter was near the average, as it occurred 6.7 days after perigee (on February 24, 2026, at 18:15 UTC) and 6.9 days before apogee (on March 10, 2026, at 09:45 UTC).

This lunar eclipse was the third of an almost tetrad, with the others being on March 14, 2025 (total); September 8, 2025 (total); and August 28, 2026 (partial).

During the eclipse, the Moon occulted NGC 3423 over North America. Deep-sky objects are rarely occulted during a total eclipse from any given spot on Earth.

This eclipse fell on the Lantern Festival, the first since February 11, 2017.

Visibility The eclipse was 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.

Visibility map

Gallery

Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.

+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

Eclipse season

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.

+ Eclipse season of February–March 2026 February 17Ascending node (new moon) March 3Descending node (full moon) Annular solar eclipseSolar Saros 121 Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 133

Related eclipses Eclipses in 2026 An annular solar eclipse on February 17. A total lunar eclipse on March 3. A total solar eclipse on August 12. A partial lunar eclipse on August 28.

Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 16, 2022 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of December 20, 2029

Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of January 21, 2019 Followed by: 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: Lunar eclipse of April 4, 2015 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 31, 2037

Lunar Saros 133 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of February 21, 2008 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 13, 2044

Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 24, 1997 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 11, 2055

Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 3, 1939 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 2, 2113

Lunar eclipses of 2024–2027

Metonic series

Saros 133

Tritos series

Inex series

Half-Saros cycle A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros This lunar eclipse is related to two annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 140.

February 26, 2017March 9, 2035

March 2026 lunar eclipse

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