On March 3, 2026, the Full Moon will slowly dim… darken… and then glow a haunting copper red as it passes through Earth’s shadow.

This is not just another Full Moon. It is the only total lunar eclipse of 2026, and it will last more than 5 hours, with nearly 1 hour of totality.

If you are in Japan or East Asia, you are in one of the best locations on Earth to witness it.

2025 Total Lunar Eclipse, captured by ATR2600C+HOPE D60

What Exactly Happens During a Total Lunar Eclipse?

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align in a near-perfect straight line, with Earth positioned between the Sun and Moon. The Moon passes into Earth’s umbra — the darkest part of its shadow.

Instead of vanishing, the Moon turns red.

Why?

Because Earth’s atmosphere filters sunlight. Shorter blue wavelengths scatter (Rayleigh scattering), while longer red wavelengths bend into the umbra and softly illuminate the lunar surface — the same optical physics that creates red sunsets.

The result: the iconic “Blood Moon.”

Credit: Timeanddate.com

 

When Will the March 3, 2026 Total Lunar Eclipse Be Visible?

Credit: Timeanddate.com

The March 3, 2026 total lunar eclipse is expected to be visible across large portions of:

• East Asia (including Japan, China, Korea)
• Southeast Asia
• Australia
• The Pacific region
• Parts of North America (depending on local time)

If you are observing from Japan, conditions are especially favorable — the eclipse occurs fully during nighttime with the Moon well above the horizon.

For precise local timing, use planetarium software such as Stellarium or check national observatory announcements closer to the date.

 

When Can I Observe the Total Lunar Eclipse?

Phase	UTC Time	What You’ll See
Penumbral begins	08:44 UTC	Subtle dimming begins
Partial begins	09:50 UTC	“Bite” appears on Moon
Totality begins	11:04 UTC	The entire Moon turns deep red
Totality ends	12:03 UTC	Red fades as the shadow recedes
Partial ends	13:17 UTC	Shadow leaves lunar disk
Penumbral ends	14:23 UTC	Eclipse concludes

During totality, exposure times increase dramatically — which changes your imaging strategy entirely.

 

How to Photograph the March 2026 Blood Moon?

Recommended Equipment for Total Lunar Eclipse Photography

Photographing a lunar eclipse blends planetary imaging discipline with deep-sky exposure control. The brightness shifts by multiple stops from partial phase to totality. Your setup should match your imaging goal.

 

A. High-Resolution Surface Detail (Craters and Texture)

Recommended Setup: High frame rate Planetary Camera, Long Focal Length Telescope (≥ 1000mm) and Tracking mount.

High frame rates allow lucky imaging and stacking, dramatically increasing resolution.

Recommended planetary cameras:

• G3M715C – 4K resolution, small pixels, low read noise. Excellent with long focal length SCTs such as a C8-class instrument.
• G3M678C – Similar 4K performance and fine pixel scale for detailed lunar work.
• G3M662C – Based on the IMX662 sensor with strong near-infrared sensitivity

Advanced Technique: Infrared Imaging During Totality

Totality reduces brightness enough to make IR700 or IR850 filters extremely effective. Infrared suppresses atmospheric turbulence and enhances surface contrast — especially useful under urban light pollution. This technique is often overlooked.

B. Full Disk & Timeline Composites

Recommended Setup: Planetary or Deep-Sky Camera, Shorter Focal Length （≤500mm focal length), Tripod (minimum) or tracking mount (recommended)

Deep-sky cameras (such as ToupTek Astro ATR or SkyEye series cameras) provide larger sensors, higher dynamic range and better tonal depth during dim totality. Cinematic wide-field Blood Moon images are often produced with large-sensor astronomy cameras.

Tracking Mounts: Alt-Azimuth or Equatorial

During bright partial phases, exposures are short. During totality, they can extend to 1–2 seconds or longer. Without tracking, motion blur becomes inevitable. Tracking accuracy matters more as brightness drops.

• Alt-Az Mount → Convenient, sufficient for moderate exposures
• Equatorial Mount → Superior for longer exposures and stacking consistency

 

Camera Installation

When connecting an astronomical camera to a telescope, you must match the mechanical interface between:

• The telescope focuser (rear port thread)
• The camera's mounting interface

Choose the appropriate extension tube or adapter based on the thread specifications. If your telescope's rear interface is M48, the connection methods are as follows:

Camera Type	Parted Needed
G3M Planetary Cameras	1.25" extension tube 1.25" to M48 adapter
ATR series Deep-sky Cameras	21mm M42 extension tube M48-M42 adapter
SkyEye series Deep-sky Cameras	M54-M48 adapter

 

The 1.25-inch extension tube is standard in the G3M series planetary camera package, while the M42-M42 and M54-M48 extension tubes are standard in the deep-space camera package.

Once the correct extension tube or adapter is installed, just attach the camera to the telescope’s rear port. If you install a Barlow lens and cannot reach focus, add additional extension tubes. Increase back focus distance until the proper focal plane is achieved. Failure to reach focus is typically a back focus spacing issue, not an optical defect.

 

Software Imaging Flow Using SkyEye62AM and ToupSky

For this workflow, the example camera is the SkyEye62AM, using ToupSky capture software. The same logic applies to SharpCap or FireCapture.

Step 1: Power and Mount Alignment

• Power on equatorial/alt-azimuth mount and camera. Make sure the mount can track the Moon normally.
• Switch mount to Alt-Azimuth mode if performing simple lunar tracking.
• Point the entire setup toward true north.
• Complete basic alignment.
• Accurate tracking becomes increasingly important during totality when exposure times lengthen.

Step 2: Connect Software & Coarse Focus

• Open ToupSky.
• Click Connect Camera.
• Adjust the telescope focuser or adjust camera insertion depth for coarse focus.
  

It is recommended to calibrate and achieve coarse focus on a distant object during the daytime. When shooting at night, avoid making large adjustments to the camera to prevent issues such as light leaks or difficulty achieving focus. After pointing the telescope at the moon at night, fine-tune the focus using the telescope's focuser knob.

 

Step 3: Exposure Configuration

Point the telescope at the Moon and disable Auto Exposure. Switch to Video Mode for the stacking workflow. You can adjust the exposure time and gain. In Trigger Mode, you can set exposure time and the number of frames. Then adjust the bit depth, black level, conversion gain, and cooling according to the single frame images. During a total lunar eclipse, brightness changes dramatically, so keep adjusting these parameters accordingly.

 

Step 4: File Storage

Save as SER, AVI or MP4. Or save the single frames as fits files. 

All settings provided here are reference values only. You need to adjust the exposure dynamically based on local sky transparency, atmosphere stability, telescope aperture and sensor characteristics. With correct mechanical spacing, careful focusing, and adaptive exposure control, you can produce scientifically robust and visually compelling eclipse imagery.