A rare occurrence will happen over Florida late tonight, or early tomorrow morning, depending on which way you look at it.
March’s full moon will coincide with a total lunar eclipse. Known as a blood moon, the total lunar eclipse happens when Earth’s shadow moves across the face of the moon.
➤ Look up tonight to see full moon, total lunar eclipse. Florida viewing
Don’t miss this one. The next total lunar eclipse won’t happen until New Year’s Eve 2028-2029.
Here’s when and where to look tonight and how much of the total lunar eclipse Florida residents could see by city.
When is the next full moon?
The next full moon — the worm moon — will be Tuesday, March 3 at 6:38 a.m. ET.
When is the total lunar eclipse 2026?
In Florida, the eclipse will begin at 3:44 a.m. ET March 3 as the Earth’s shadow begins to move across the face of the moon.
Peak totality will come at 6:33 a.m. Unfortunately for Florida residents, the moon will be low on the horizon and the sunrise will occur only a few minutes later.
What time is the lunar eclipse?
The total lunar eclipse starts at 3:44 a.m. ET as the Earth’s shadow begins to move across the surface of the moon.
For Florida residents, it’ll end even before the moon sets and the sun rises around 6:45 a.m. ET.
The moon will not only be very low on the horizon but be dimmer than normal because of the eclipse.
Will clouds prevent Florida residents from seeing lunar eclipse March 3?
There could be some clouds obstructing your view of the moon and eclipse Monday night, but it’s also possible you could see the whole thing where you are since total cloud cover isn’t expected across the state.
What is a total lunar eclipse?
A total lunar eclipse happens when the moon is fully inside Earth’s shadow.
Lunar eclipse visibility map
Will we be able to see any of the total lunar eclipse in Florida? Where to look
The first and only total lunar eclipse in 2026 will occur March 3.
➤ Can you take photos of total lunar eclipse? Tips to capture blood moon
In Florida, residents will be able to see the start of the eclipse at 3:44 a.m. ET, but peak totality will come at 6:33 a.m. when the moon is low on the horizon and close to sunrise.
To see the eclipse, look low on the horizon to the west and slightly to the south.
Peak or maximum totality — when the Earth’s shadow will cover the moon — will happen at 6:33 a.m. ET March 3, which unfortunately occurs minutes before sunrise.
Definition of eclipse terms
Here are some eclipse terms to be familiar with before we go timing of the eclipse in several cities around Florida:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Pensacola, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Pensacola will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Panama City, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Panama City will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Tallahassee, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Tallahassee will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Jacksonville, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Jacksonville will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in St. Augustine, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in St. Augustine will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Daytona Beach, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Daytona Beach will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Titusville, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Titusville will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Cape Canaveral, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Cape Canaveral will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Melbourne, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Melbourne will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Vero Beach, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Vero Beach will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Fort Pierce, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Fort Pierce will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Port St. Lucie, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Port St. Lucie will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Jensen Beach, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Jensen Beach will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Stuart, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Stuart will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in West Palm Beach, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in West Palm Beach will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Miami, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Miami will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Naples, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Naples will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Fort Myers, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Fort Myers will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Sarasota, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Sarasota will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Tampa, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Tampa will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Orlando, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Orlando will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Lakeland, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Lakeland will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in Gainesville, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in Gainesville will be:
What time will total lunar eclipse be visible in The Villages, Florida?
According to timeanddate.com, the total lunar eclipse timing in The Villages will be:
Why is a total lunar eclipse called a blood moon?
“A blood moon is the dramatic red glow of the moon during a total lunar eclipse,” space.com said.
“It happens when Earth’s shadow completely covers a full moon, filtering sunlight through our atmosphere and turning the lunar surface deep red or coppery brown.”
“Sunlight passing through Earth’s atmosphere gets filtered and scattered, blue light is removed, leaving only the longer red and orange wavelengths to reach the moon.
“This is the same effect that makes sunrises and sunsets appear red,” according to space.com.
The exact shade of a blood moon can vary depending on atmospheric conditions, including smoke from wildfires and dust.
How rare is a blood moon?
About 29% of all lunar eclipses are total lunar eclipses, according to space.com.
“Earth experiences approximately two lunar eclipses per year. Most places on Earth can expect to see a total lunar eclipse about once every 2.5 years.”
When will be the next blood moon?
Get ready for a special New Year’s Eve celebration!
The next blood moon will happen on New Year’s Eve 2028-2029, according to space.com.
Could Florida see a ‘moonbow’?
“If conditions are just right and there’s a bit of mist or rain in the air, you may even spot a rare phenomenon called a moonbow,” according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
Also known as a lunar rainbow, a moonbow is a rainbow created by moonlight instead of sunlight. Moonbows are most likely when the full moon is low in the sky.
Conditions necessary for moonbow to occur, according to darksky.org:
Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://palmbeachpost.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: City-by-city look at when to see total lunar eclipse in Florida
Reporting by Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
