Observing the March 3, 2026 total lunar eclipse with Vespera & Hestia
01 Mar. 2026
On March 3, 2026 a total lunar eclipse will take place. It will be visible across much of the Americas and the Pacific region, including Australia, New Zealand, and parts of East Asia.
Where the entire total phase is visible and skies cooperate, observers can enjoy nearly an hour of totality.
The eclipse will not be visible at all from Europe and Africa.
A total lunar eclipse is one of the most accessible, and most dramatic skywatching events: no special equipment is required, and the “Blood Moon” effect can be spectacular even with the naked eye.
In this guide, you’ll learn what’s happening, what to look for, and when to observe from your location with Vespera and Hestia.
Observing the eclipse from the United States (March 3, early morning)
the visibility of the total phase (totality) varies depending on longitude and local time. Western parts of the U.S. will see the whole total eclipse, while the eastern parts will only catch part of it as the Moon sets before totality ends.
Where the whole totality will be visible
Western and Central U.S. locations, roughly from the Rocky Mountains westward (including states like California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, and much of the Mountain Time Zone) will see the entire total phase of the eclipse above the horizon.
In these areas the Moon will be up in the sky throughout totality and visible before it begins to set.
Where Only Partial Totality Is Visible
Eastern and Southeastern U.S. states in the Eastern Time Zone (e.g., New York, Florida, the Carolinas) will see the Moon rising or setting while totality is underway, so the entire total phase won’t be visible from start to finish.
In these regions, the Moon begins to enter Earth’s shadow and may already be in or near totality at moonset, or it will set before the eclipse is complete.
As a result, observers will see only a portion of the total eclipse, often with the Moon low on the horizon, setting in the western sky during totality.
Totality timetable and visibility(local hours)
*Totality ends very close to moonset, with the Moon extremely low on the horizon, visibility may be difficult.
Observing the eclipse from Australia,New Zealand, South-West Pacific (evening / deep night)
Where the whole totality is visible
For this March 3–4, 2026 total lunar eclipse, totality is fully observable across essentially all of Australia and New Zealand, plus much of the South-West Pacific.
In parts of western/southern Australia, the eclipse’s earlier stages can start before moonrise, but totality begins after the Moon is up, often very low over the eastern horizon, which can make the start of totality harder if you have trees/buildings/hills.
Totality timetable and visibility(local hours)
Eastern Asia & South Asia (evening)
Where the whole totality is visible
For the March 3, 2026 total lunar eclipse, most of East and Southeast Asia enjoys ideal evening conditions.
The entire total phase is fully visible from all of Japan, most of eastern China, all of Indonesia
How to observe the eclipse with Vespera and Hestia
Vespera and Hestia are excellent tools for following a lunar eclipse in real time on your smartphone, watching the Earth’s shadow sweep across the Moon and capturing the event as it unfolds.
Both also let you manually adjust exposure, which is essential to handle the Moon’s dramatic brightness changes throughout the different phases of the eclipse. And the good news: a lunar eclipse is completely safe to observe. No filter is required.
Scout your observing location in advance.
For many observers in the United States, the eclipse will happen before or during moonset. To avoid missing the show, choose an observing spot with a clear western horizon and as few direct light sources as possible.
Basic setup for Vespera
Pointing Vespera at the Moon is straightforward:
- Level the tripod, then run initialization.
- In the Instrument screen, open Image Format and enable Live Image Saving.
- If you plan to process RAW images for maximum quality, also enable FITS saving.
Make sure you have plenty of free internal storage. - Open the Object Catalog → Solar System → select Moon.
- Pointing and tracking are automatic. Vespera will follow the Moon throughout the event.
- For the most reliable pointing, start the observation before totality begins.
- Adjust camera settings for correct exposure. (See our dedicated tutorial on the blog.)
Basic setup for Hestia
Before the eclipse begins, make sure your smartphone is properly positioned and aligned with Hestia.
- Enable Lunar Observation mode.
- Use the Gravity sky map to help you aim at the Moon.
- Adjust exposure manually as the eclipse progresses.
Monitor and adjust exposure during the eclipse
During a lunar eclipse, the Moon’s brightness changes dramatically. So you’ll need to adjust exposure regularly.
The total phase can last close to an hour (for locations that can see the full event), giving you time to fine-tune settings.
During partial phases, the brightness difference between the shadowed and sunlit parts of the Moon is extreme. You can’t expose both perfectly at once—so decide what you want to prioritize.
A good approach is to take multiple shots at different exposures, then choose (or combine) the best results later.
The huge brightness difference during the partial phase
Create a time-lapse of the eclipse
Saving images throughout the event lets you create a time-lapse. One of the best ways to relive the eclipse and share it on social media.
With Hestia
- Make sure you’re in Eclipse mode to benefit from the 5-minute countdown recommendations and notifications.
- Tap Photo to switch to Time-lapse, then tap Capture to start.
- You must manually capture each additional frame you want to add by pressing Capture again.
- When you’re finished, tap Stop to generate the video. Choose your export options (resolution and duration), then export.
- The final video is saved to your phone’s photo roll, and the individual frames are saved there as well.
With Vespera
If Live Image Saving is enabled, Vespera saves a new image to its internal memory every 2–4 seconds (or every 10–15 seconds for RAW/FITS images, depending on settings).
After the session, you’ll need third-party software to assemble the frames into a time-lapse video.
March 2026 total lunar eclipses stages
A lunar eclipse unfolds over several hours. As time progresses, the Moon gradually enters Earth's shadow. As long as it is not completely immersed, the eclipse remains partial. Therefore, all total lunar eclipses begin and end with a partial phase.
Key stages of the eclipse
- Penumbral entry -The Moon starts receiving less sunlight, but the dimming is barely noticeable.
- Beginning of the partial eclipse -Part of the Moon enters the Earth's shadow, appearing as a growing dark area on the lunar disk.
- Beginning of the total eclipse -The entire Moon is now within Earth's shadow, taking on a reddish hue.
- Eclipse maximum -The Moon reaches the center of Earth's shadow, offering the most dramatic view.
- End of totality -The Moon begins to emerge from Earth's shadow, gradually regaining its natural brightness.
- End of partial eclipse -The moon leaves Earth's shadow
- End of the partial and penumbral eclipse – The event concludes completely.
What is a Lunar Eclipse?
- If the alignment is perfect, the entire Moon is plunged into Earth's shadow: this is a total eclipse.
- If the alignment is slightly off, only part of the Moon enters the Earth's shadow: this results in a partial eclipse.
