| Global Event: | Total Lunar Eclipse |
|---|---|
| Local Type: | Total Lunar Eclipse in Rancho Santa Margarita, California |
| Begins: | Tue, Mar 3, 2026 at 12:44 am |
| Maximum: | Tue, Mar 3, 2026 at 3:33 am 1.150 Magnitude |
| Ends: | Tue, Mar 3, 2026 at 6:21 am |
| Duration: | 5 hours, 37 minutes |
All times shown on this page are local time. |
March 3, 2026 — Total Lunar Eclipse — Rancho Santa Margarita
The animation shows what the eclipse approximately looks like in Rancho Santa Margarita. Stages and times of the eclipse are outlined below. All times are local time (PST) for Rancho Santa Margarita.
| Time | Phase | Event | Direction | Altitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:44 am Tue, Mar 3 |
|
Penumbral Eclipse begins The Earth's penumbra start touching the Moon's face. |
 205° |
|
| 1:50 am Tue, Mar 3 |
|
Partial Eclipse begins Partial moon eclipse starts - moon is getting red. |
230° |
|
| 3:04 am Tue, Mar 3 |
|
Total Eclipse begins Total moon eclipse starts - completely red moon. |
248° |
|
| 3:33 am Tue, Mar 3 |
|
Maximum Eclipse Moon is closest to the center of the shadow. |
253° |
|
| 4:02 am Tue, Mar 3 |
|
Total Eclipse ends Total moon eclipse ends. |
257° |
|
| 5:17 am Tue, Mar 3 |
|
Partial Eclipse ends Partial moon eclipse ends. |
268° |
|
| 6:21 am Tue, Mar 3 | Setting | Moonset Setting |
276° |
|
| 6:23 am Tue, Mar 3 | Not directly visible | Penumbral Eclipse ends Below horizon |
276° |
|
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 Rancho Santa Margarita. The total lunar eclipse is sometimes called a blood moon, as the Moon turns red.
Solar Eclipse Live Show
We are streaming the partial solar eclipse on Sep 21/22 LIVE!
Cloud Coverage (Mar 3)
In the past, this day was cloudy 56% of the time (since 2000).
Countdown until eclipse begins
173 Days 16 Hrs 18 Mins 12 SecsRancho Santa Margarita Eclipse Countdown
- 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 Rancho Santa Margarita
| Eclipse Visibility From Rancho Santa Margarita | Visibility Worldwide | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Mar 3, 2026 Total Lunar Eclipse | Total Lunar Eclipse |
|
|
|
Aug 27–28, 2026 Partial Lunar Eclipse | Partial Lunar Eclipse |
|
|
|
Aug 16–17, 2027 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse | Penumbral Lunar Eclipse |
|
|
|
Jan 11, 2028 Partial Lunar Eclipse | Partial Lunar Eclipse |
|
|
|
Dec 31, 2028 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse | Total Lunar Eclipse |
|
Note: Click on the date link for details in Rancho Santa Margarita, or the path map image for global details. Currently shown eclipse is highlighted. |
Next annular eclipse visible in Rancho Santa Margarita