Good news and bad news for astronomy enthusiasts.
The good one is that total lunar eclipse will take place this Tuesday, March 3, 2026. This phenomenon occurs when the Sun, Earth and Moon are perfectly aligned in this order, and the Moon is in its full phase.
It then turns red, hence the name “ Blood Moon “, because the star slides into the shadow of the Earth, which then screens the solar rays, and it gradually loses its white radiance.
The only rays of the sun that reach it are “reflected and dispersed through the Earth’s atmosphere”Ryan Milligan, astrophysicist at the University of Belfast, explained to AFP in September 2025.
However, the blue wavelengths of light are shorter than those of red, and they are therefore more easily dispersed when they pass through the Earth’s atmosphere. “This is what gives the Moon its red tint, this blood color. »
Not visible from France
“The totality phase will last approximately 58 minutes, with a maximum around 11:33 UTC”that is to say in broad daylight for us, explains meteorologist Florent Schindler for La Chaîne Météo.
Which brings us to the bad news. This “Blood Moon” will not be visible from mainland France, “being sous l’horizon at the moment of totality.”
To observe it, you will have to be in North America, Eastern Asia and the Pacific area.
While special glasses are required to view solar eclipses, all you need is favorable weather with clear skies and being in the right location to view lunar eclipses.
