Lunar Eclipse Calculator
Auto-detected from your browser. Adjust if needed.
Danjon Scale — Total Eclipse Darkness Rating
Eclipse Frequency by Decade
Eclipse data sourced from NASA/GSFC Five Millennium Catalog of Lunar Eclipses (eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov) and EclipseWise (Fred Espenak). Times accurate to ±1 minute for 2026–2032.
How to Use This Calculator
Check the Countdown
The live countdown at the top shows the exact days, hours, minutes, and seconds until the next upcoming lunar eclipse, plus a separate countdown to the next total Blood Moon. This updates every second in real time.
Filter by Year, Type, or Region
Use the filter panel on the left to narrow down eclipses. Select a specific year, choose Total/Partial/Penumbral only, or filter to eclipses visible from your continent. All matching eclipses appear in the results list.
Click Any Eclipse for Full Details
Click on any eclipse card to expand it and see the complete phase timeline bar, umbral magnitude indicator, all seven contact times (P1 through P4), Saros series number, obscuration percentage, and eclipse depth classification.
Set Your Time Zone for Local Times
Your browser's time zone is auto-detected. Toggle 'Show times in local time zone' to switch all contact times from UTC to your local time. You can also manually adjust the UTC offset if needed, then export as CSV or print for offline reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the next total lunar eclipse (Blood Moon)?
The next total lunar eclipse is on March 3, 2026. It will be visible from East Asia, Australia, the Pacific, and large parts of the Americas. The eclipse begins when the Moon enters Earth's penumbra at 08:44 UTC, with totality (the Blood Moon phase) lasting from 11:04 to 12:02 UTC — about 58 minutes. The umbral magnitude is 1.151, meaning the Moon is fully immersed in Earth's umbra. After that, the next total eclipses are December 31, 2028, then June 26, 2029 (the deepest eclipse of the period with magnitude 1.844), and December 20, 2029.
Why does the Moon turn red during a total lunar eclipse?
During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon is fully inside Earth's umbra and receives no direct sunlight. However, Earth's atmosphere acts like a lens, refracting and bending sunlight around the edge of the planet. This refraction filters out most blue and green wavelengths (which scatter in the atmosphere, causing blue skies) and allows red and orange wavelengths to reach the Moon. The result is the striking deep red, rust, or orange color known as the 'Blood Moon.' The exact shade depends on Earth's current atmospheric conditions — volcanic eruptions, dust storms, and cloud cover at the eclipse's limb can darken or redden the Moon significantly.
What is umbral magnitude and how does it relate to eclipse depth?
Umbral magnitude is the fraction of the Moon's diameter that is immersed in Earth's umbral (inner) shadow at the moment of greatest eclipse. A value of 0 means the Moon just grazes the umbra's edge (a very shallow partial), 0.5 means half the Moon's diameter is in the umbra, and values at or above 1.0 indicate a total eclipse (the entire Moon fits inside the umbra). Values above 1.5 produce deep totality with very dark coloration, and values above 1.8 (like the June 2029 eclipse at 1.844) represent extraordinarily deep eclipses with the longest possible totality durations. Negative umbral magnitude values mean a penumbral-only eclipse.
What is a Saros cycle and why is it important?
A Saros cycle is an astronomical period of approximately 6,585.3 days — about 18 years, 11 days, and 8 hours — after which the Sun, Earth, and Moon return to nearly the same relative geometry. This means eclipses in the same Saros series repeat with very similar characteristics (contact times, magnitude, and duration) roughly every 18 years. Because of the 8-hour fractional day, each successive eclipse in a series shifts about 120 degrees westward in longitude. After three Saros periods (one Exeligmos = 54 years, 33 days), eclipses recur at nearly the same geographic location. The 2026 March 3 eclipse belongs to Saros 133, the 27th of 71 total eclipses in that 1,262-year series.
Can I see a lunar eclipse with the naked eye?
Yes — lunar eclipses are one of the most accessible astronomical events because no special equipment is needed. Total and partial eclipses are clearly visible to the naked eye from anywhere the Moon is above the horizon. Total eclipses are especially dramatic as the Moon turns deep red. Penumbral eclipses are the exception — the Moon's dimming is very subtle and may only be noticeable near maximum coverage (greater than about 70% penumbral magnitude). Binoculars enhance the view for any eclipse type. The best viewing conditions are away from artificial lights, with the Moon high in the sky and clear skies. Contact times mark the key moments to observe — U1 for the start of the shadow bite, U2 for Blood Moon onset, and Greatest for the deepest red.
What is the Danjon scale and can I predict it for an upcoming eclipse?
The Danjon scale (L0 to L4) rates the brightness and color of the Moon during total eclipse totality. L0 is nearly black (Moon barely visible), L1 is dark gray/brown, L2 is deep red or rust, L3 is brick-red with a bright rim, and L4 is bright copper or orange with visible lunar surface detail. Unfortunately, the Danjon rating cannot be predicted in advance because it depends on Earth's atmospheric transparency at the moment of eclipse — primarily the amount of dust, aerosols, and cloud cover along the eclipse limb at the time. After major volcanic eruptions (like Pinatubo in 1991), eclipses can become extremely dark (L0–L1). During normal atmospheric conditions, eclipses typically rate L2–L3. The rating is determined by observers worldwide after the event.