A total lunar eclipse will coincide with China's Lantern Festival on March 3, 2026, in a celestial pairing that will not recur for nearly five decades.
The eclipse will be the only total lunar eclipse visible from China in 2026, with the next one not due until December 31, 2028. The alignment of the full moon eclipse with the traditional Lantern Festival is even rarer. Astronomers note the next time the two events coincide will be on March 4, 2072.
The eclipse is expected to be widely visible across the globe, with an estimated six billion people in regions including East Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific, and the Americas able to witness the entire event. In China, visibility will vary by region. Eastern areas are forecast to see the complete eclipse, central regions will witness a partially eclipsed moon rising, while western parts will observe the later stages as the moon emerges from Earth's shadow.
Key timings for the eclipse in Beijing Time are:
• Partial eclipse begins: 17:49
• Total eclipse begins (Moon fully in shadow): 19:04
• Maximum eclipse: 19:33
• Total eclipse ends: 20:02
• Partial eclipse ends: 21:17
During the total phase, the moon will take on a coppery-red hue, often called a "blood moon." This occurs because sunlight passing through Earth's atmosphere is scattered, with longer red wavelengths bending into the planet's shadow and illuminating the lunar surface.
The 2026 Lantern Festival carries additional notable characteristics. It will be the latest occurrence of the festival in 11 years, a result of an intercalary month ("leap sixth month") in the preceding lunar year, which extended the calendar. The moon will also reach its fullest phase at 19:37 on March 3, meaning observers in eastern China will see the "roundest" festival moon.
For optimal viewing of the eclipse in China, astronomers suggest finding locations with an unobstructed eastern horizon, as the moon will be relatively low in the sky at the beginning of the total phase.
Author | Feng Huiting
Photo | Nanfang Plus
