What’s Up in the Sky in March?
Get ready for one of the most dramatic sights in the night sky. The month kicks off with one of our favorite kinds of sky events: A Blood Moon.
On March 2–3, Earth’s shadow will completely eclipse the Full Moon. It’s the first lunar eclipse of the year, and the last total lunar eclipse for almost three years.
There are a couple of eye-catching Moon-planet meetups later on in the month, as well as the March Equinox, our planet’s new year, signaling the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and fall in the Southern Hemisphere.
| Date | Event* | What to See |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 3 | Full Moon | March’s Worm Moon is most illuminated at 11:37 UTC. |
| Mar 2–3 | Total lunar eclipse | See the Full Moon completely eclipsed for the last time until late 2028. |
| Mar 20 | March equinox | The equinox at 14:46 UTC marks the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and fall (autumn) in the Southern Hemisphere. |
| Mar 20 | Moon-Venus conjunction | The Waxing Crescent Moon meets Venus in the sky on the day of the equinox. |
| Mar 26 | Moon-Jupiter conjunction | The First Quarter Moon meets up with Jupiter. |
| All month | Gemini constellation | The constellation is easy to spot this time of year. Also, the planetary visitor Jupiter can be seen shining brightly among Gemini’s stars. |
| All month | Aurora: Russell–McPherron effect | The Equinox brings some interesting effects that mean we may get more frequent auroras. |
*Naked-eye events. The Night Sky Map links use New York City, USA, as an example location.
Total Lunar Eclipse on March 2–3
On March 2–3, Earth’s shadow will completely eclipse the Full Moon. It will be the last Blood Moon for almost three years. Totality, where the Moon turns a reddish color, will last around 58 minutes.
Anyone on the night side of Earth can see a lunar eclipse. In this case, it is visible from large parts of North America, South America, Australia, and Asia—although not all locations will get to see totality.
This is an exciting time for us here at mungfali.galihkartiwa07.workers.dev. Our mobile observatory is heading to the US to stream the eclipse live for viewers around the world, alongside our partner feeds from New Mexico, Hawaii, and Perth, Australia.
In Other Moon News
Artemis II—a 10-day crewed “flyby” Moon mission—had several possible launch windows for this month. However, due to a helium system issue on the rocket’s upper stage, the launch date has been delayed, with the next window of opportunity coming no earlier than April 2026.
Find out more about Artmeis II in our Moon Guide for March 2026March Equinox: “Equal Night”
This year, the March equinox takes place on March 20 at 14:46 UTC. Astronomers define the equinox as the point in time at which the Sun crosses the celestial equator. In other words, the Sun is directly above a point on Earth’s equator.
Since “equinox” in Latin means “equal night,” it’s often thought that the equinox brings exactly equal hours of daylight and darkness. In reality, there is a slight imbalance.
A true 12-hour split—known as the equilux—actually occurs a few days before the March equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and a few days after in the Southern Hemisphere, though the actual timing depends on your latitude.
On the day of the equinox, the amount of day and night is almost equal in both hemispheres.
The March equinox occurs when the Sun crosses the equator from south to north. In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s known as the spring equinox, and it marks the period when the day starts to become longer than night. But in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the autumnal (fall) equinox, when nights start to become longer than days.
What are equinoxes and solstices?A Good Month for Auroras?
The position of Earth’s axis relative to the Sun at the equinox brings some interesting factors into play in terms of the frequency and brightness of the auroras. These effects are not limited to the day of the equinox itself, but extend for several weeks on either side.
Scientists think this increase in northern and southern lights displays is mainly due to two factors:
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The Russell–McPherron effect — the Sun’s and Earth’s magnetic fields are more likely to line up in a way that allows them to connect.
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The equinoctial effect — Earth’s magnetic poles are tilted at a right angle to the flow of the solar wind, effectively presenting a bigger target for charged particles streaming toward our planet.
Together, these effects make it easier for charged particles and energy from the solar wind to enter Earth’s magnetosphere—our planet’s invisible shield—creating more frequent and sometimes brighter auroras.
March Stargazing
On March 20, the same date as the equinox, Venus meets up with a young Waxing Crescent Moon. Since New Moon is on March 19, only the faintest sliver of the Moon will be visible in the sky.
Look for Venus, which will be shining brightly beneath the barest hint of the Moon, low down on the western horizon, just after sunset.
Later that week, on March 26, a second visible Moon-planet pairing takes place. The First Quarter Moon, appearing as a half Moon in the sky, shines next to Jupiter. You’ll be able to spot this beautiful duo in the constellation of Gemini.
In fact, this is a great time of the year to spot Gemini in the evening sky. It has been particularly prominent recently, thanks to Jupiter shining brightly among its stars. The planet outshines every star in the constellation, making it a helpful guide for spotting Castor and Pollux. Look for the Gemini twins high in the evening sky after sunset.
If you wanted to get a better look, a pair of binoculars could reveal Jupiter’s four largest moons as tiny points of light lined up beside the planet.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Blood Moon in March 2026?
The total lunar eclipse takes place on March 2–3, 2026. During totality, the Moon will turn a reddish color for around 58 minutes.
Where will the March 2026 lunar eclipse be visible?
Anyone on the night side of Earth can see a lunar eclipse. This one will be visible from large parts of North America, South America, Australia, and Asia—although not all locations will experience totality.
Why does the Moon turn red during a lunar eclipse?
During a total lunar eclipse, Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, casting its shadow on the lunar surface. However, some sunlight still reaches the Moon after passing through Earth’s atmosphere.
As this sunlight travels through the atmosphere, shorter wavelengths like blue and violet are scattered in different directions—a process known as Rayleigh scattering, which also makes our sky appear blue. The remaining red and orange wavelengths pass through more easily and are bent (refracted) around Earth’s edge, reaching the Moon and giving it its characteristic reddish glow.
The exact shade of red can vary depending on conditions in Earth’s atmosphere at the time, including dust, clouds, or volcanic particles.
What is the difference between a conjunction and a close approach?
A close approach—also known as an appulse—is when celestial bodies appear close to each other in the sky. Objects appear close from our perspective, even though they are far away from each other.
Although the term conjunction is often used to refer to close groupings of celestial bodies, the technical definition refers to the exact moment two astronomical objects share the same right ascension (part of a coordinate system used by astronomers).
Why are auroras more common around the equinox?
Auroras are often more frequent around the March and September equinoxes because of two effects: the Russell–McPherron effect and the equinoctial effect. Together, they make it easier for charged particles from the Sun to enter Earth’s magnetosphere—increasing the chances of northern and southern lights displays.