in the early hours March 3, 2026sky watchers across the United States total lunar eclipse — is the only period until the end of 2028. During this period,blood moon“, “The full moon shines a rich copper color for almost an hour as it passes through Earth’s shadow. It’s a beautiful and accessible celestial event, and with a little planning, anyone can photograph it.”
No advanced equipment required Photograph the lunar eclipse. What’s more important is knowing when it happens, where to look, and how to adapt your camera or smartphone to changes in light. Whether you’re snapping with your smartphone or setting up a carefully-composed telephoto shot, the most important things are timing, location, and focus. Check the sky, prepare your settings and make it an early morning worth remembering.
1. Get accurate time and schedule for your location.
only total lunar eclipse The last event of 2026, and the last event from 2028 to New Year’s Eve 2029, will take place at 08:44 GMT and 14:22 GMT on Tuesday 3 March, at the same time worldwide. It is most commonly found in western North America, the Pacific Ocean, New Zealand, Australia, and East Asia. Wholeness — the most photogenic part, month Complete redness — occurs at the next point.
- Eastern Time: 6:04 AM – 7:02 AM EST on March 3, 2026 (Moon sets during totality in Eastern time zone)
- Central Time: March 3, 2026 5:04 AM – 6:02 AM CST
- Mountain Time: 4:04 AM – 5:02 AM MST on March 3, 2026
- Pacific Time: March 3, 2026 3:04 AM – 4:02 AM PST
- Alaska Time: March 3, 2026 2:04 AM – 3:02 AM (AKST)
- Hawaii Time: March 3, 2026, 1:04 a.m. – 2:02 a.m. (HST)
Wholeness is the highlight of the act, but there are partial and penumbral phases on either side, which together make the event last more than five hours. visit time and date Get a schedule of shooting locations. This also includes the moon’s position in the sky to help you plan your shoot.
read more: What time is the blood moon total lunar eclipse tonight?
2. Head west for the best views
In the eastern states of the United States, the moon will set during totality, so you won’t get great views. It’s a frustrating sight. The views get better as you head west, making the West Coast a better option than the Midwest. For example, most of the eclipse will be visible from Chicago, but the moon will set just 20 minutes after the totality ends, so the totality will be seen closer to the western horizon. Even in the western United States, the moon will be low in the western sky during totality, so it’s important to find a spot with an unobstructed view to the west. Choosing an elevated or open area is a wise choice. It’s also wise to scout your location a few days in advance so you know what to expect.
Related: 10 Best Places to View the Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse on March 3rd
3. Check the climate and then the weather
Cloud cover is the biggest threat to any kind of eclipse photography, and it can be a big consideration in early March. According to historical cloud cover data (this can be checked for any location using: NASA’s worldview), the clearest skies in the United States are usually in the southwestern United States, with Arizona and California theoretically being the best locations. However, climate is only useful for advance planning. From about 3 days onwards, use a weather forecast app like the one below. strong wind and clear outside Track local forecasts for cloud cover. If possible, get wheels so you can move if your original location looks cloudy a day or two in advance.
4. Practice focusing your camera on the moon
If you have never imagined the moon before, read on. How to photograph the moon using a camera And put it into practice. That makes a big difference. If you have a long lens (200-600 mm), try not only autofocusing on the moon, but also manual focus using “live view” to zoom in on the moon. Make adjustments and mark the exact point on the focus wheel if necessary. You can do the same thing with a wide-angle lens, but turning the infinity icon (∞) on the dial may be enough. Adjust the focus until it is in sharp focus. It’s common, and very unfortunate, that the big picture is blurred.
After the waxing moon on February 24th, the bright moon will be visible to the south and southeast after sunset every night until the solar eclipse in March. 3. It gets brighter every night. Practice anywhere with clear skies.
5. Adjust exposure throughout the eclipse
During a solar eclipse, the moon is first swallowed up by Earth’s hazy outer penumbra and loses its brightness significantly, but remains gray. As it enters the darker inner umbra (partial stage), it darkens considerably before eventually becoming reddish. According to the late solar eclipse Photographer Fred Espenak For Nikon, after getting a close-up of the blood moon, set your camera to ISO 400, open the lens to its widest aperture, and experiment with different exposures by adjusting the shutter speed in 5-second increments. Once the eclipse begins, you’ll likely start with a fast shutter speed, such as 1/250 second, and an aperture of f/8 to f/11 at ISO 400, but overall you’ll probably want an exposure of 1-2 seconds, an aperture of f/2.8, and an ISO of 800-1600. Continuous adjustment is important. And with a total of 58 minutes, there’s plenty of time to experiment. Bracketing (taking multiple exposures with different settings) is a wise choice during total photography. Taking 0.5 second, 1 second, and 2 second exposures all at the same ISO and aperture will help preserve a lot of detail.
6. Know how to use your smartphone
Smartphones are great for astrophotography, but that only applies to wide-angle shots. Resist the temptation to zoom in on the moon, and aim to capture its reflection over lakes, ponds, buildings, mountains, and trees. Don’t just limit yourself to landscape photography, use a stabilizing device such as a small tripod that supports a universal smartphone holder attachment.
Especially since solar eclipses occur relatively low in the sky, you can prop them up against a bottle or rock in a pinch. It is also wise to time your exposure to further reduce the threat of movement. When you’re happy with your composition, tap on the moon to focus on it and slide your finger down to reduce its brightness. It’s also a good idea to shoot in RAW if that’s an option.
7. Other things to consider
Stay warm, always use a tripod, charge your batteries or bring a power bank, keep a spare blank SD card, and use a reliable shutter release cable or app. Espenak also advises turning on your camera’s long exposure noise reduction feature and, more importantly, placing the moon image in the corner of your camera’s viewfinder. That way, you can float within the camera’s field of view during the exposure, rather than moving out of it. But which corner? For North America, during a solar eclipse, the moon moves from the upper left to the lower right, on its way to setting in the west.
Photographing a total lunar eclipse (which lasts almost an hour) is much less frenzied than a total lunar eclipse. solar eclipseHowever, take some time between exposures to appreciate the amazing sight. A total lunar eclipse is like a bus. Even if you get nothing for years, then you get three at once. Enjoy the Blood Moon on March 3, 2026, as it will be the last until three total lunar eclipses begin at the end of 2028.