A “blood moon” happens during a total lunar eclipse , when the full moon passes completely into Earth’s shadow and turns red.

Quick Scoop: When does the blood moon happen?

  • A blood moon occurs only at full moon , when the Sun, Earth, and Moon line up so Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon.
  • It specifically refers to a total lunar eclipse , not just any red-looking moon.
  • The red color comes from sunlight filtered through Earth’s atmosphere , which scatters blue light and lets more red/orange light reach the Moon.

Next blood moon (current cycle)

  • The next blood moon is on March 2–3, 2026 (date depends on your time zone).
  • The total phase (when the Moon is fully red) runs from about 11:04 to 12:03 UTC on March 3, 2026 , with maximum around 11:33 UTC.
  • It will be visible from large parts of North and Central America, eastern Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific region, and far western South America.

How often do blood moons happen?

  • Total lunar eclipses (blood moons) typically happen every few years , but not every year has one.
  • After the March 2026 blood moon, the next total lunar eclipse does not occur again until late 2028–early 2029 , making this one the last for a while.

Extra note on the term “blood moon”

  • Astronomers use “blood moon” mainly for a total lunar eclipse , but some people also use it for:
    • A series of four total lunar eclipses in two years (a lunar tetrad , with religious/prophetic associations in some groups).
* The **October full moon** in some North American traditions (also called the Hunter’s Moon), which is unrelated to eclipses.

If you tell me your city or country, I can explain roughly what local time the March 3, 2026 blood moon happens for you.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.