On March 2-3, 2026, the full worm moon will cruise through Earth’s shadow and become a “blood moon” for 58 minutes during the final total lunar eclipse anywhere on Earth until late 2028. Although that will only be visible in North America, the Pacific Region, Australia, New Zealand and East Asia, observers worldwide will see the full moon rise near sunset in their local time on Monday, March 2.
March 2026 delivers a textbook blue-hour full moonrise, followed hours later by a total lunar eclipse. At dusk on Monday, March 2, the nearly full worm moon will climb into the night sky. The full worm moon — the third and final full moon of winter in the Northern Hemisphere — is named for the thawing ground and the return of earthworms in early spring.
What Is A ‘Blood Moon’ Total Lunar Eclipse?
Hours after moonrise, early on March 3 in North America, the moon will pass completely through Earth’s shadow, causing a rare total lunar eclipse — also known as a “blood moon” because the lunar disk turns a copper-reddish color. This eclipse will be visible from North America, though western states will get the best view.
The following total lunar eclipse will take place on New Year’s Eve 2028, but the next one visible from North America isn’t until Jun. 26, 2029.
Best Time To See The Full ‘Worm Moon’ Rise
Although the eclipse happens overnight, the best time to watch the worm moon rise will be Monday, March 2, 2026 — the night before the eclipse. This is when the moon’s timing aligns best with sunset, producing the most photogenic and visually impressive moonrise of the month. Check the moonrise time for your location.
- New York City: sunset at 5:48 p.m. EST, moonrise at 6:13 p.m. EST — a 25-minute gap, placing the rise squarely in blue hour, the ideal light for color and scale.
- Los Angeles: sunset at 5:49 p.m. PST, moonrise at 6:34 p.m. PST — about 45 minutes after sunset, offering a darker but still dramatic rise.
On the night of the full moon itself, the moon rises much later, when the sky is already dark, and the horizon effect is diminished.
A Rare Total ‘Blood Moon’ With Exact U.S. Times
The total lunar eclipse will unfold in the early morning hours of Tuesday, March 3, 2026, when the moon passes fully into Earth’s darkest shadow. Below are the exact times of totality — the window when the moon will appear entirely copper-red — across U.S. time zones:
- Eastern Time: 6:04-7:02 a.m. EST (the moon will set during totality from for many eastern locations)
- Central Time: 5:04-6:02 a.m. CST
- Mountain Time: 4:04-5:02 a.m. MST
- Pacific Time: 3:04-4:02 a.m. PST
- Alaska Time: 2:04-3:02 a.m. AKST
- Hawaii Standard Time: 1:04-2:02 a.m. HST
These times mark the most dramatic phase of the eclipse, when the moon is entirely within Earth’s umbral shadow and takes on deep red and copper tones. A visualization of exactly what you’ll see from any location is available from The Eclipse App.
Phases Of A Total Lunar Eclipse
A total lunar eclipse occurs when Earth moves directly between the sun and a full moon. It has five phases, only the central phase — totality — featuring a “blood moon.”
- Penumbral eclipse: as the moon passes through Earth’s shadow, it first enters Earth’s faint outer shadow (the penumbra).
- Partial eclipse: it then moves into the umbra, the darker central shadow. The outline of Earth’s shadow can be seen moving across the lunar surface, gradually darkening and reddening it.
- Totality: the entire lunar surface sits within the umbra and turns reddish-orange. Only at the moment of totality will the moon become a brighter, reddish color.
The last two phases are repetitions of the first two, with a partial eclipse followed by a penumbral eclipse.
When To See Earth’s Shadow Move Across The Moon
Observers who want to see more than just the deep red “blood moon” should also watch the partial lunar eclipse phases, when Earth’s sharply defined shadow visibly encroaches on the moon’s disk. These phases bracket totality and reveal the curvature of Earth’s shadow in space — a subtler but scientifically rewarding sight. Since the moon will be very low in the sky for many viewers after totality, the partial phase before totality is the one to watch.
Across the U.S., the first partial eclipse begins about 1 hour and 15 minutes before totality (and ends about 1 hour and 15 minutes after totality):
- Eastern Time (EST): approximately 4:49-6:04 a.m. EST (second partial phase not visible)
- Central Time (CST): approximately 3:49-5:04 a.m. CST (second partial phase not visible)
- Mountain Time (MST): approximately 2:49-4:04 and 5:02-6:17 a.m. MST
- Pacific Time (PST): approximately 1:49-3:04 and 4:02-5:17 a.m. PST
- Alaska Time (AKST): approximately 12:49-2:04 and 3:02-4:17 a.m. AKST (March 2–3)
- Hawaii Standard Time (HST): approximately 11:49 p.m.–1:04 a.m. and 2:02-3:17 a.m. HST (March 2–3)
During these times, the moon will appear progressively darkened on one side as it enters Earth’s umbra, with the process reversed after totality. Binoculars or a small telescope enhance the effect, but it’s easily visible to the naked eye under clear skies.
‘Blood Moon’ Times Around The World
Across Australia, New Zealand and East Asia, the eclipse will occur in the evening of March 3 (or just after midnight on March 4 in New Zealand). For many, it will unfold high in a dark sky — ideal viewing conditions. Here are the local times for totality:
- Auckland, New Zealand (NZDT): 12:04-1:02 a.m., Wednesday, March 4
- Sydney, Australia (AEDT): 10:04-11:02 p.m., Tuesday, March 3
- Brisbane, Australia (AEST): 9:04-10:02 p.m., Tuesday, March 3
- Adelaide, Australia (ACDT): 9:34-10:32 p.m., Tuesday, March 3
- Darwin, Australia: 8:34-9:32 p.m., Tuesday, March 3
- Perth, Australia: 7:04-8:02 p.m., Tuesday, March 3
- Tokyo, Japan (JST): 8:04-9:02 p.m., Tuesday, March 3
- Seoul, South Korea (KST): 8:04-9:02 p.m., Tuesday, March 3
- Beijing, China (CST): 7:04-8:02 p.m., Tuesday, March 3
- Hong Kong (HKT): 7:04-8:02 p.m., Tuesday, March 3
In parts of Southeast Asia, totality will begin before moonrise, muting the dramatic color contrast.
Is It Safe To Watch a ‘Blood Moon’ Total Lunar Eclipse?
It’s completely safe to watch all stages any lunar eclipse with the naked eye. Unlike a solar eclipse, which requires certified eye protection, a lunar eclipse is simply reflected sunlight fading and reddening. You can watch it with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope, with no filters required.
“This reddish light comes from all the sunrises and sunsets around Earth’s rim at that moment — sunlight that has skimmed through Earth’s atmosphere and been refracted, or bent, by the atmosphere into the umbra,” said Meg Thacher, Associate Editor at Sky & Telescope.
Background
The worm moon is one of 13 full moons in 2026, a year that includes an extra full moon because the lunar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year. Of those, three will be supermoons — on Jan. 3, Nov. 24 and Dec. 24 — when the full moon occurs close to perigee.
2026 will also feature two lunar eclipses. The March 2-3 event is the only total lunar eclipse of the year, while the second, on Aug. 27-28, will be a very deep partial lunar eclipse as 96% of the full moon moves through Earth’s umbra. Just two weeks before the worm moon, a “ring of fire” annular solar eclipse on Feb. 17 marked the start of an unusually active eclipse season.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
