Baltimore, MD / Dover, DE – Residents across Maryland and Delaware will be able to spot several eclipses in 2026, but astronomers say the most dramatic views this year will favor the Central and Western United States, leaving much of the Mid-Atlantic just outside the prime viewing zone.
According to astronomical forecasts, four eclipses will occur in 2026, including two solar and two lunar eclipses. While both states will see portions of multiple events, timing and geography mean viewers locally will miss the longest and most vivid phases of the year’s top eclipse.
🌕 March 3, 2026 — Total Lunar Eclipse (Best Viewed West of MD & DE)
This is the most significant eclipse of 2026 for U.S. residents, but Maryland and Delaware sit near the eastern edge of optimal viewing.
According to eclipse timing data, the Moon will enter Earth’s darkest shadow during the early morning hours Tuesday, March 3. Viewers in the Central and Western U.S. — including Chicago, St. Louis, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, and the West Coast — will see the eclipse in full, with a prolonged deep red “Blood Moon.”
In Baltimore, Annapolis, Rockville, Frederick, Wilmington, Newark, and Dover, the Moon will be low in the western sky as the eclipse peaks. Residents may catch partial phases and possibly the start of totality, but the most intense color and longest duration will occur farther west.
👉 Lunar eclipses are safe to view without special glasses.
🌞 August 12, 2026 — Solar Eclipse (Partial in Maryland & Delaware)
A major total solar eclipse will track across Greenland, Iceland, and northern Spain, drawing international attention. In Maryland and Delaware, the event will appear only as a partial solar eclipse.
During the late morning hours, the Sun will look slightly obscured statewide. Certified solar eclipse glasses are required for safe viewing.
🌕 August 27–28, 2026 — Partial Lunar Eclipse
A second lunar eclipse later in the summer will be visible across the Mid-Atlantic, though only modest shadowing of the Moon is expected, making it a quieter skywatching event.
🧭 Maryland & Delaware Eclipse Takeaway
- ⭐ Best U.S. viewing: March 3 lunar eclipse (Central & Western states)
- 👀 Local viewing: Partial to early total phases
- ☀️ Solar eclipse: Partial locally; totality occurs overseas
