The first full lunar eclipse of the year will be partially visible in India, and the 'Blood Moon' will be visible to the naked eye.
Lunar Eclipse 2026: This total lunar eclipse will be visible in India. The eclipse will begin at 3:00 PM Indian Standard Time and end just before 7:00 PM.
Lunar Eclipse 2026: If you're interested in astronomical events, the evening of March 3, 2026, will bring you a beautiful celestial spectacle. March 2026 will begin with a special celestial event. The year's first total lunar eclipse will occur on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. The total lunar eclipse will occur on Falgun Purnima, but it will only be visible in India.
According to Indian Standard Time, this eclipse will begin at 3:00 PM and end before 7:00 PM. However, you will be able to see it most easily in the eastern sky after sunset, starting around 6:33 PM. The eclipse will be completely over at 6:47 PM. This blood moon can also be seen with the naked eye.
Astronomer Amar Pal Singh said that the lunar eclipse of March 3, 2026, will be visible in India in the evening, but it will be only in the final phase, and there will also be a chance to see the 'Blood Moon', although the duration of this astronomical event will be limited.
Astronomer Amar Pal Singh said that this lunar eclipse will be visible in its totality in most parts of the Americas and the Pacific region, including Australia, New Zealand, and parts of East Asia, from where the entire phase of the total lunar eclipse will be visible.
How to watch this lunar eclipse
Astronomer Amar Pal Singh explained that this lunar eclipse doesn't require any special equipment, binoculars, or even special telescopes. It can be seen with the naked eye, and the "blood moon" effect will also be visible. The moon's magnitude will be approximately minus 12 during this time, as it will be a full moon and located in the constellation Leo.
What is a lunar eclipse?
Astronomer Amar Pal Singh explained that the Moon orbits Earth in a little over 29 days. However, under certain circumstances, the Sun, Earth, and Moon align, placing the Earth between the Sun and the Moon. As a result, the Moon enters Earth's shadow and is not exposed to direct sunlight.
In astronomy, this is called a lunar eclipse, or more simply, a lunar eclipse is a celestial event that occurs when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, casting its shadow on the Moon. During this time, some or all of the Moon appears obscured.
Eclipses are determined accordingly. For example, if the moon is completely covered, it is called a total lunar eclipse, and if it is only partially covered, it is called a partial lunar eclipse. If a faint shadow, called a penumbra, is visible, it is called a penumbral lunar eclipse. However, this time, the lunar eclipse will be visible only partially in India.
When and how often do lunar eclipses occur?
Astronomer Amar Pal Singh explained that although the Moon reaches full moon every 29 days, lunar eclipses don't occur every month. This is because the Moon's orbit is tilted approximately 5° relative to Earth's orbit.
Most of the time, the Moon passes above or below the Earth's shadow, but an eclipse occurs whenever these three celestial bodies are in a precise straight line (plane). However, there are at least two lunar eclipses each year, and a maximum of five (although this is very rare). However, most of these are partial lunar eclipses. It is rare for a total lunar eclipse to be visible from a single location.
If we talk about the lunar eclipse that will be visible on March 3, 2026, we find that this lunar eclipse will be visible in India as a total eclipse. This eclipse will only be visible for approximately 25 minutes.
In India, this eclipse will be clearly visible for about 15-20 minutes, from approximately 6:30 pm to 6:46 pm. If the weather remains clear, the red glow of the 'Blood Moon' will also be visible in many parts of the country. Visibility may be slightly better in the northeastern states, while in western and southern India, it will only be visible at the end of the eclipse.
Why and what is a Blood Moon, and why does the color of the Moon itself change?
Astronomer Amar Pal Singh said that the brightness and colour of the Moon during a lunar eclipse depend on the conditions of our Earth's atmosphere at the time of the eclipse.
Atmospheric dust, humidity, smoke, and temperature all affect light. When sunlight refracts through Earth's atmosphere and reaches the Moon, most of the blue wavelengths are scattered, leaving a greater proportion of red wavelengths.
This is why the Moon's color can range from a coppery red to a deep red. This is why the Moon's color and brightness sometimes appear altered during a lunar eclipse due to the actual state of Earth's atmospheric components.