| Global Event: | Total Lunar Eclipse |
|---|---|
| Local Type: | Total Lunar Eclipse in Portsmouth, Virginia |
| Begins: | Tue, Mar 3, 2026 at 3:44 am |
| Maximum: | Tue, Mar 3, 2026 at 6:32 am 1.150 Magnitude |
| Ends: | Tue, Mar 3, 2026 at 6:35 am |
| Duration: | 2 hours, 51 minutes | All times shown on this page are local time. |
March 3, 2026 — Total Lunar Eclipse — Portsmouth
The animation shows what the eclipse approximately looks like in Portsmouth. Stages and times of the eclipse are outlined below. All times are local time (EST) for Portsmouth.
| Time | Phase | Event | Direction | Altitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3:44 am Tue, Mar 3 | Penumbral Eclipse begins The Earth's penumbra start touching the Moon's face. |  252° | 32.5° | |
| 4:50 am Tue, Mar 3 | Partial Eclipse begins Partial moon eclipse starts - moon is getting red. | 262° | 19.8° | |
| 6:04 am Tue, Mar 3 | Total Eclipse begins Total moon eclipse starts - completely red moon. Moon close to horizon, so make sure you have free sight to West. | 273° | 5.3° | |
| 6:32 am Tue, Mar 3 | Maximum in Portsmouth This is the moment when the eclipse reaches its greatest magnitude while the entire Moon is above the horizon in Portsmouth. The true maximum point of this eclipse cannot be seen in Portsmouth because the Moon is below the horizon at that time. Since the Moon is near the horizon at this time, we recommend going to a high point or finding an unobstructed area with free sight to West for the best view of the eclipse. | 277° | 0.2° | |
| 6:33 am Tue, Mar 3 | Maximum Eclipse Moon is closest to the center of the shadow. Since the Moon is near the horizon at this time, we recommend going to a high point or finding an unobstructed area with free sight to West for the best view of the eclipse. Additionally, the eclipsed moon combined with dimming near horizon might make the Moon very hard or impossible to see. | 277° | -0.0° | |
| 6:35 am Tue, Mar 3 | 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. | 277° | -0.2° |
| 7:02 am Tue, Mar 3 | Not directly visible | Total Eclipse ends Below horizon | 281° | -6.2° |
| 8:17 am Tue, Mar 3 | Not directly visible | Partial Eclipse ends Below horizon | 293° | -20.1° |
| 9:23 am Tue, Mar 3 | Not directly visible | Penumbral Eclipse ends Below horizon | 305° | -31.3° |
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 Portsmouth. The total lunar eclipse is sometimes called a blood moon, as the Moon turns red.
Cloud Coverage (Mar 3)
In the past, this day was cloudy 58% of the time (since 2000).
Countdown until eclipse begins
678Days 10Hrs 32Mins 40SecsLunar 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 Portsmouth
| Eclipse Visibility From Portsmouth | Visibility Worldwide | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 17–18, 2024 Partial Lunar Eclipse | Partial Lunar Eclipse |  | |
| Mar 13–14, 2025 Total Lunar Eclipse | Total Lunar Eclipse |  | |
| Mar 29, 2025 Partial Solar Eclipse | Partial Solar Eclipse |  | |
| Mar 3, 2026 Total Lunar Eclipse | Total Lunar Eclipse |  | |
| Aug 12, 2026 Partial Solar Eclipse | Total Solar Eclipse |  | Note: Click on the date link for details in Portsmouth, or the path map image for global details. Currently shown eclipse is highlighted. |
Next total solar eclipse visible in Portsmouth
Next annular eclipse visible in Portsmouth