Lunar Eclipse 2026 in India: Date, Timings, Visibility and How to Watch

A total lunar eclipse will occur on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, and will be visible from most parts of India, according to the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

What is a lunar eclipse?

A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon, casting its shadow on the lunar surface. This alignment happens only during a full moon.

During totality, the Moon appears red due to Rayleigh Scattering. This process involves the varying dispersion of colours in inverse proportion to their wavelength by the Earth’s atmosphere. Red light scatters less than other colours and falls on the Moon, giving it a reddish appearance.

Types of lunar eclipse

Total lunar eclipse: The Moon moves entirely into the darkest part of Earth’s shadow. This is often called a Blood Moon, as the Moon appears reddish orange due to sunlight refracting through Earth’s atmosphere.

Partial lunar eclipse: Only a portion of the Moon enters the darkest part of Earth’s shadow. It appears as if a bite has been taken out of the Moon.

Penumbral lunar eclipse: The Moon passes through Earth’s faint outer shadow. The dimming is subtle and often difficult to observe with the naked eye.

When, where and how to watch in India

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the total lunar eclipse will occur on March 3, 2026.

Most places in India will observe the end of the eclipse at moonrise. However, some locations in the Northeast and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will also witness the end of the totality phase.

In cities such as Chennai and Kanniyakumari, the eclipse will be visible for up to 31 minutes, according to the India Meteorological Department.

The eclipse will begin at 3.20 pm IST and end at 6.48 pm IST. The totality phase will begin at 4.34 pm IST and end at 5.33 pm IST.

The last lunar eclipse visible from India occurred on September 7 and 8, 2025, and it was a total lunar eclipse.

The next lunar eclipse visible from India will take place on July 6 and 7, 2028, and it will be a partial lunar eclipse. The next total lunar eclipse visible from India will occur on December 31, 2028.