Columbus, Ohio – Ohioans should mark March 3 now, when a rare 58-minute Blood Moon will unfold from 6:04 to 7:03 a.m. Eastern Time, delivering the state’s last visible total lunar eclipse until 2028.
According to NASA eclipse timing data, totality begins at 6:04 a.m. ET on March 3 and peaks at 6:33 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 Ohio, narrowing the viewing window as sunrise approaches.
In Columbus, west-facing parks and open fields away from downtown lighting will improve visibility. Cleveland and Toledo residents can use Lake Erie shorelines for wide-open western views. In Cincinnati, elevated areas west of the city provide better sightlines, while darker skies in southeast Ohio near Hocking Hills may offer some of the best statewide contrast.
The partial eclipse begins around 5:04 a.m., 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 color.
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, Ohio will not see another total lunar eclipse until 2028 — making this pre-sunrise event worth planning for now.
