What might come off as a bad omen to some, will look marvelous to others. This March, the skies have in store a special ‘Blood Moon” total lunar eclipse over Houston where the moon will turn red for nearly an hour and a half.
What is a blood moon and lunar eclipse?
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon is fully engulfed by the Earth’s darkest shadow, the umbra. In March 2026, the moon will undergo this transition, losing its usual silver glow as the Earth blocks the sun’s direct rays.
The moon doesn’t go dark, however; instead, it turns a deep reddish-orange. This happens because Earth’s atmosphere bends longer red wavelengths of light into the shadow while filtering out blue light—a process that creates the famous ‘Blood Moon’ effect.
When is the blood moon and total lunar eclipse?
The blood moon and total lunar eclipse will take place from March 2 – March 4, 2026. Partial eclipse will begin on March 3 at 4:50 am CT where the Earth’s shadow will begin dimming the moon’s edge. Total eclipse will start at 5:58 am where the moon will take on a blood red color. Totality will last 58 minutes where the moon will take on a red hue.
The moon will reach its deepest shade of red just before sunrise at maximum eclipse at 6:33 am. For viewers, the best time to witness the eclipse will be from 6 am – 6:35 am on March 3, 2026.
This is the first total lunar eclipse since September 2025 and the last lunar eclipse that will take place until New Year’s Eve on December 31, 2028.
Will the blood moon and lunar eclipse be visible in Houston?
While the phenomenon will depend on weather conditions at the time, the blood moon lunar eclipse will be visible in Houston. That said, the best vantage points of the eclipse in its totality in northwest Mexico and southwest U.S.