Blood Moon 2026: Know When And Where To Witness The Total Lunar Eclipse In India

A total lunar eclipse will occur on March 3, 2026, and it will be visible in India for a limited duration of about 25 minutes in several regions. On this day, the Moon will appear deep red in the sky, a phenomenon popularly known as a ‘Blood Moon.’ Skywatchers and astronomy enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting the first total lunar eclipse of 2026, especially since a similar spectacle will not be seen again until 2029.

The overall duration of the lunar eclipse will be from 3:20 PM to 6:47 PM (IST). However, the visibility of the eclipse in India will depend on moonrise timings in different cities.

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Why The Moon Turns Red

During a total lunar eclipse, the Earth comes directly between the Sun and the Moon, causing the Earth’s shadow to fall on the Moon. Even though the Moon is covered by Earth’s shadow, some sunlight still passes through Earth’s atmosphere and bends due to refraction.

The Earth’s atmosphere scatters shorter blue wavelengths of light more effectively, while longer red and orange wavelengths bend and reach the Moon. This is why the Moon takes on a reddish hue, giving rise to the term ‘Blood Moon.’

Visibility In India

The initial phase of the lunar eclipse will not be visible in India because the event will occur during ‘moonrise eclipse’ conditions. This means the eclipse will already be in progress by the time the Moon rises in different parts of the country. As a result, people in various cities will witness the eclipse only after moonrise, and the duration of visibility will vary accordingly.

• In Delhi, the eclipse will be visible from around 6:22 PM for approximately 25 minutes.
• In Lucknow, it will begin at about 6:02 PM and remain visible for around 45 minutes.
• In Kolkata, viewers can see it from approximately 5:43 PM for nearly 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• In Bhopal, the eclipse will appear around 6:21 PM and last about 26 minutes.
• In Chennai, it will also begin at approximately 6:21 PM and be visible for around 25 minutes.
• In Patna, the Moon will rise at about 5:55 PM, with the eclipse visible for nearly 51 minutes.
• In Bengaluru, it will start around 6:32 PM and remain visible for about 14 minutes.
• In Hyderabad, the eclipse will be seen from approximately 6:26 PM for nearly 20 minutes.
• In Kanpur, it will begin at about 6:14 PM and last around 32 minutes.
• In Shillong, viewers can see it from 5:27 PM for nearly 1 hour and 19 minutes.
• In Imphal, it will begin at about 5:18 PM and remain visible for around 1 hour and 28 minutes.
• In Itanagar, the eclipse will start at approximately 5:19 PM and last for nearly 1 hour and 27 minutes.

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