Guwahati to Catch Rare Glimpse of Total Lunar Eclipse at Moonrise

Guwahati: Guwahati will witness the final moments of totality during the total lunar eclipse on March 3, 2026, as the Moon rises at 5:24 pm IST — just nine minutes before the total phase concludes at 5:33 pm.

This brief window will allow residents of the city to observe the concluding phase of the fully eclipsed Moon. Thereafter, the remaining portion of the umbral phase will continue to be visible until 6:48 pm, enabling skywatchers in Guwahati to watch the partially shadowed Moon for approximately one hour and twenty-four minutes.

According to an official press release issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the total lunar eclipse will occur on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 (12 Phalguna, 1947 Saka Era). The celestial event will be visible from most parts of India, except for some locations in the extreme western region of the country.

Astronomical data released by the IMD’s Positional Astronomical Centre, Kolkata, states that the umbral phase of the eclipse will begin at 3:20 pm IST. The total phase will commence at 4:34 pm and continue until 5:33 pm, while the umbral phase will conclude at 6:48 pm. The eclipse magnitude has been calculated at 1.155, indicating that the Moon will be completely immersed in the Earth’s shadow at peak totality.

The eclipse will also be visible across eastern Asia, Australia, the Pacific Ocean and the Americas. In India, the phenomenon will largely be observable at moonrise, meaning most locations will witness only the closing stages of the event.

However, several areas in North-East India, along with the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, will have the advantage of observing the end of the totality phase in addition to the subsequent partial (umbral) phase.

A lunar eclipse occurs on a full moon day when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, aligning the three celestial bodies in a straight line. A total lunar eclipse takes place when the entire Moon passes through the Earth’s umbral shadow, while a partial lunar eclipse occurs when only a portion of the Moon enters the shadow.

The last lunar eclipse visible from India occurred on September 7–8, 2025, and it was also a total lunar eclipse. The next lunar eclipse visible from India is scheduled for July 6, 2028, and it will be a partial lunar eclipse.

The IMD has released city-wise timings for the event and advised skywatchers to check local moonrise timings for optimal viewing conditions.

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