Jackson, Mississippi – Mississippians should mark March 3 now, when a rare 58-minute Blood Moon will unfold from 5:04 to 6:03 a.m. Central Time, delivering the state’s last visible total lunar eclipse until 2028.
According to NASA eclipse timing data, totality begins at 5:04 a.m. CT on March 3 and peaks at 5:33 a.m., when the Moon turns deep red inside Earth’s shadow. The Moon will sit low along the western horizon and may set during totality, especially across eastern Mississippi, narrowing the viewing window as sunrise approaches.
In Jackson, west-facing views near the Ross Barnett Reservoir or open areas away from downtown lighting will offer clearer sightlines. Gulfport and Biloxi residents should look inland with an unobstructed western horizon to avoid coastal glare. In Tupelo and the northeast hills, elevated terrain provides broader views, while darker rural skies across the Mississippi Delta and Pine Belt may offer the best statewide contrast.
The partial eclipse begins around 4:04 a.m. CT, giving early risers nearly an hour to watch Earth’s shadow steadily cover the Moon before totality. No eclipse glasses are required, and binoculars can enhance surface detail and deepen the copper-red hues.
Cloud cover could interfere, so checking local weather conditions on March 2 is essential. Once the Moon dips below the horizon the morning of March 3, Mississippi will not see another total lunar eclipse until 2028 — making this pre-sunrise event worth planning for now.
