| Global Event: | Total Lunar Eclipse |
|---|---|
| Local Type: | Total Lunar Eclipse in Washington DC, District of Columbia |
| Begins: | Tue, 3 Mar 2026, 03:44 |
| Maximum: | Tue, 3 Mar 2026, 06:33 1.150 Magnitude |
| Ends: | Tue, 3 Mar 2026, 06:39 |
| Duration: | 2 hours, 55 minutes | All times shown on this page are local time. |
3 March 2026 — Total Lunar Eclipse — Washington DC
The animation shows what the eclipse approximately looks like in Washington DC. Stages and times of the eclipse are outlined below. All times are local time (EST) for Washington DC.
| Time | Phase | Event | Direction | Altitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03:44 Tue, 3 Mar | Penumbral Eclipse begins The Earth's penumbra start touching the Moon's face. |  250° | 32.4° | |
| 04:50 Tue, 3 Mar | Partial Eclipse begins Partial moon eclipse starts - moon is getting red. | 261° | 20.1° | |
| 06:04 Tue, 3 Mar | Total Eclipse begins Total moon eclipse starts - completely red moon. Moon close to horizon, so make sure you have free sight to West. | 272° | 6.0° | |
| 06:33 Tue, 3 Mar | Maximum Eclipse Moon is closest to the center of the shadow. Moon close to horizon, recommend going to a high point. Additionally, the eclipsed moon combined with dimming near horizon might make the Moon very hard or impossible to see. | 277° | 0.7° | |
| 06:39 Tue, 3 Mar | Setting | Moonset Setting, but the combination of a very low moon and the total eclipse phase makes the Moon so dim before it sets, that it might disappear from view some time before it sets. | 278° | -0.2° |
| 07:02 Tue, 3 Mar | Not directly visible | Total Eclipse ends Below horizon | 281° | -5.2° |
| 08:17 Tue, 3 Mar | Not directly visible | Partial Eclipse ends Below horizon | 293° | -18.7° |
| 09:23 Tue, 3 Mar | Not directly visible | Penumbral Eclipse ends Below horizon | 306° | -29.7° |
How to use altitude & direction to find in the sky
The curvature of the shadow's path and the apparent rotation of the Moon's disk is due to the Earth's rotation.
This total lunar eclipse is fully visible in Washington DC. The total lunar eclipse is sometimes called a blood moon, as the Moon turns red.
Cloud Coverage (3 Mar)
In the past, this day was cloudy 65% of the time (since 2000).
Countdown until eclipse begins
698Days 7Hrs 6Mins 13SecsWashington DC Eclipse Countdown
Lunar Eclipses
- When Is the Next Lunar Eclipse?
- Total Lunar Eclipse
- Why Does the Moon Turn Red?
- Partial Lunar Eclipse
- Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
- Can I See a Lunar Eclipse?
- Blood Moon - Total Lunar Eclipse
- Eclipse Seasons
- What Is a Tetrad?
- Magnitude of Eclipses
- Accuracy of Our Eclipse Calculations
- Why Two Dates for a Lunar Eclipse?
Eclipses and Transits Visible in Washington DC
| Eclipse Visibility From Washington DC | Visibility Worldwide | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Apr 2024 Partial Solar Eclipse | Total Solar Eclipse |  | |
| 17–18 Sep 2024 Partial Lunar Eclipse | Partial Lunar Eclipse |  | |
| 13–14 Mar 2025 Total Lunar Eclipse | Total Lunar Eclipse |  | |
| 29 Mar 2025 Partial Solar Eclipse | Partial Solar Eclipse |  | |
| 3 Mar 2026 Total Lunar Eclipse | Total Lunar Eclipse |  | Note: Click on the date link for details in Washington DC, or the path map image for global details. Currently shown eclipse is highlighted. |
Next annular eclipse visible in Washington DC