Lunar eclipse to be visible in Sri Lanka on March 3

Colombo, Feb. 27 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lankans will have the opportunity to witness a lunar eclipse on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, the Arthur C Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies said.

Although the event is classified as a total lunar eclipse, observers in Sri Lanka will only be able to see it as a partial lunar eclipse. This is because the Moon will be below the horizon during the total phase of the eclipse.

As a result, the total phase — when the Moon is completely covered by the Earth’s shadow — will not be visible locally. When the Moon rises above the eastern horizon at 6:21 p.m., a portion of it will still be covered by the Earth’s shadow, allowing Sri Lankans to observe the concluding partial phase of the eclipse.

Key times of the eclipse are as follows (Sri Lanka Standard Time):

• Penumbral eclipse begins – 2:14 p.m. (not visible)
• Partial eclipse begins – 3:20 p.m. (below the horizon)
• Total eclipse begins – 4:34 p.m. (below the horizon)
• Maximum eclipse – 5:03 p.m. (below the horizon)
• Total eclipse ends – 5:32 p.m. (below the horizon)
• Moonrise – 6:21 p.m.
• Partial eclipse ends – 6:47 p.m.
• Penumbral eclipse ends – 7:53 p.m.

The institute advises the public to select a cloud-free location with a clear and unobstructed view of the eastern horizon for the best chance of observing the eclipse.

An image of the partial phase of the total lunar eclipse visible in Sri Lanka on September 7, 2025, captured by Mr. Heshan Gunasekara of the Astronomy Division, has been released in connection with the announcement.