Total lunar eclipse greets Lantern Festival on March 3: CWA

Taipei, Feb. 24 (CNA) A total lunar eclipse will coincide with the Lantern Festival on March 3, giving skywatchers across Taiwan a rare chance to see a "blood moon," the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said Tuesday.

The eclipse will already be underway when the moon rises at about 5:50 p.m., with part of its surface darkened by Earth's shadow, the CWA said.

The eclipse will last from 7:04 p.m. to 8:03 p.m., when the full moon is expected to turn dark red. The eclipse will peak at 7:34 p.m. and span 4 hours and 35 minutes.

A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth passes between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow that gives the moon a reddish-copper hue during totality, the CWA explained.

The last total lunar eclipse visible in Taiwan occurred on Sept. 7, 2025. After March 3, the next one fully visible from Taiwan will be on Dec. 31, 2028, it said.

No special equipment is needed for the event, though telescopes can enhance the view, the CWA said, recommending locations with a clear eastern horizon.

A live webcast will begin at 5:40 p.m. on the CWA website, it added.