A new lunar eclipse is scheduled for March 3. The phenomenon always attracts curious gazes and experts, but this time, Brazil will not be in the best geographic position to watch the complete spectacle of the so-called Blood Moon.
The phenomenon occurs when there is a precise alignment between the Sun, Earth, and Moon.
“The Earth positions itself between the Sun and the Moon. So the Moon ends up behind the shadow projected by the Earth. It’s an alignment of these three bodies,” explains astronomer Thiago Signorini Gonçalves, director of the Valongo Observatory at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
According to him, in a partial eclipse we see the Earth’s shadow advancing over the lunar disk, like “a bite” darkening the full Moon. In a total eclipse, however, the most anticipated phenomenon occurs.
“When perfectly aligned, sunlight can no longer reach the Moon’s surface directly. But it passes through the Earth’s atmosphere before getting there. Only the red part of the light can pass, while the blue is scattered. That’s why the Moon turns reddish, like at sunset,” he says.
The nickname Blood Moon, according to the astronomer, is more of a striking popular expression than a scientific term, but it conveys the visual effect produced by the atmospheric filter well.
The news, however, is not encouraging for most of Brazil’s territory.
“Unfortunately, in most of Brazil we will only see the penumbral eclipse, which is a slight darkening of the full Moon and a hard-to-notice effect,” says Thiago.
In cities like São Paulo and Brasília, the phenomenon occurs around 6 a.m., with the Moon very low on the western horizon and just before sunrise, making observation even more difficult.
The situation improves slightly in the North region. In Acre, Rondônia, and western Amazonas, it will be possible to watch part of the partial eclipse. “In Acre, around 5 a.m., it starts to be possible to notice the shadow advancing. The maximum obscuration occurs around 5:45 a.m., when almost the entire Moon will be covered,” he explains.
Even so, he emphasizes that Brazil is not the best spot on the planet for this eclipse. Ideal conditions will be in the Pacific, in regions like New Zealand and islands like Fiji, where totality will be fully visible.
A total lunar eclipse, or “Blood Moon”, will be visible in the United States in the early morning hours of Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Totality, the period when the Moon takes on a reddish-orange hue, should last about an hour, with the best viewing in the western US before sunrise. This is the first total eclipse in North America in several years.
Stages
Astronomer Josina Nascimento, from the National Observatory, details that every total lunar eclipse goes through five stages: penumbral, partial, total, partial, and penumbral again.
“The penumbral eclipse occurs when the Moon enters the Earth’s lighter shadow. In this phase, we barely notice any difference in brightness. Then, when it starts entering the dark shadow, the partial eclipse begins, when we see the Moon getting darker and darker, in the form of a bite,” she explains.
The total eclipse happens when the Moon is completely immersed in the umbra — the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow.
In the case of the March 3 eclipse, however, Brazil will only see the initial phases. “When the Moon is fully eclipsed, it will already be below the horizon for us. Brazil will not see the total eclipse,” affirms Josina.
Time (Brasília time):
• 5:44 a.m. – start of penumbral eclipse
• 6:50 a.m. – start of partial eclipse
• 8:04 to 9:02 a.m. – totality phase (not visible in Brazil)
The further west the location, the greater the percentage of obscuration. In the far west of the country, obscuration can reach 96% — very close to totality, but still technically classified as partial.
According to the astronomer, lunar eclipses are relatively frequent in Brazil, but we will have to wait to see a complete spectacle again. “Only on the night of June 25 to 26, 2029, will Brazil have a total lunar eclipse with all phases visible across the country,” highlights Josina.
Also in 2026, there will be a nearly total partial eclipse (magnitude of 93%) visible across the national territory on the night of August 27 to 28. In 2027, the three predicted eclipses will be only penumbral. In 2028, there will be partial eclipses, but none total visible in Brazil.
Source: Agência Brasil