Moon Will Turn Red On Holi Eve For 58 Minutes: Why This Upcoming Lunar Eclipse Is Special?

Holi

has always been a major festival in India that is celebrated in most of the parts of India. And in 2026, the festival is going to be a little more important as it is also bringing a lunar eclipse. The first total lunar eclipse of the year is going to take place on March 3, the same day as Holi. Now, this whole scenario has increased the importance of things in both disciplines - astronomical and religious.

Holi Eve Lunar Eclipse Date, Time, Duration, And Visibility

The Holi eve total lunar eclipse will be visible in the country on March 3, 2026, starting at 3:20 PM as per the Indian Standard Time (IST) and will go on until 6:47 PM IST, which is a duration of 3 hours and twenty minutes. The eclipse will be hitting its peak for around 58 minutes, and in this period the natural satellite of Earth with turn red. The Blood Moon of Holi will be visible in major Indian regions like Delhi, Mumbai, Assam, Bengal, Nagaland and a few more to name. One thing that the readers should know is that the lunar eclipse will be visible partially in all parts of India.Red Moon Lunar Eclipse 2026 Date And Time, Full List Of Cities To Watch Blood Moon

Why The Moon Turns Red In Lunar Eclipse?

As stated by NASA, during a lunar eclipse, either dark orange or red because the Earth blocks the Sun's light from reaching the Moon's surface. And the light that reaches the moon gets filtered through multiple surfaces of Earth. One of the best parts about a lunar eclipse is that when Earth's shadow dims the lunar surface, other constellations in the sky gain better visibility. This means all the astronomy enthusiasts will be able to spot more constellations on this day. As mentioned by NASA, enthusiasts will also be able to see the conjunction of Venus and Saturn on March 8, 2026, when the planets will appear close to each other in the sky.