Full Moon and Upcoming Total Lunar Eclipse on March 3, 2026
The Moon is nearly full on March 2, 2026, with a total lunar eclipse expected on March 3.
On Monday, March 2, 2026, the Moon is in its Full Moon phase, with approximately 99.91% illumination. In Washington, D.C., the Moon will rise at 5:24 PM and set at 6:14 AM the following morning.
The Full Moon will reach its peak on March 3, 2026, at 6:38 AM EST. This event coincides with a total lunar eclipse, often referred to as a "blood moon" due to the reddish hue the Moon takes on during the eclipse. The totality phase of the eclipse is expected to last 58 minutes, with the entire event spanning approximately 5.5 hours, from 3:44 AM to 9:23 AM EST.
Visibility of the eclipse will vary by location. Parts of the U.S. Midwest and West will have optimal viewing conditions, while Europe, Africa, and most of Asia will not be able to observe the event due to time zones or daylight. For those unable to view the eclipse directly, several astronomy organizations will provide livestreams, including Timeanddate.com, Griffith Observatory, and The Virtual Telescope Project.
Lunar phases result from the Moon's orbit around Earth, which takes approximately 29.5 days. During this cycle, the Moon progresses through eight distinct phases: New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter, and Waning Crescent. These phases are caused by the changing angles between the Earth, Moon, and Sun, affecting the portion of the Moon illuminated by sunlight as observed from Earth.