Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Bea Cuadra

Ariel Rojas

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1772588812793Screen Shot 2026-03-04 at 9.46.40 AM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The lunar eclipse enters totality at 7:04 p.m., reaching its maximum at 7:34 p.m., as seen from Barangay Kalusugan in Quezon City on March 3, 2026. Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News<br/></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATE)</strong> — Stargazers gathered at Luneta Park on Tuesday evening to witness a total lunar eclipse.</p><p>Led by the Philippine Astronomical Society, the event drew a massive crowd of students, families, and hobbyists who lined up for a glimpse of the so-called &quot;blood moon&quot; through telescopes.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2026/3/4/in-photos-a-blood-moon-coincides-with-the-first-full-moon-of-the-lunar-year-0750">IN PHOTOS: A Blood Moon coincides with the first full moon of the Lunar Year</a></div><p>According to Prof. Edmund Rosales, an astronomer and former president of the Philippine Astronomical Society, the celestial show began shortly after the sun went down.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=315&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F938810135761221%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>To keep the crowd engaged, Rosales held impromptu lectures, explaining the science behind the view.</p><p>He estimated that &quot;almost a thousand more than a thousand people came&quot; to participate in the observation.</p><p>Among those in line was 16-year-old Marc Triztan Cortado from Sampaloc, who arrived at the park as early as 6:30 PM.</p><p>For young observers like Marc, social media served as the gateway to the stars.</p><p>&quot;Dati po kasi na inspire ako sa mga napapanood ko sa mga iba&#x27;t ibang social media platforms po hanggang sa na develop po naging nahiligan ko na yung mga constellations about astrology po,&quot; he shared.</p><p>Beyond the moon, the group also pointed their lenses toward Jupiter, which Rosales described as the brightest object in the sky after sunset.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PAGASA’S FREE BLOOD MOON VIEWING</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FabscbnNEWS%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02rCqhr74kE2q5Nt4vvzvaAydiJMboE12kEPNnsuHxdRhHHdXBZ1HJptwA1ZaL6Pnol&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="683" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>In Quezon City, scores of students, friends, families, and astronomy enthusiasts flocked to the PAGASA Astronomical Observatory at the University of the Philippines Diliman campus to witness the total lunar eclipse up close.</p><p>The weather bureau held free telescope viewing not only in Quezon City but also in its regional offices in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan; Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu; and El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental.</p><p>“Part ito ng mandate ng PAGASA to promote the science of astronomy,” PAGASA Administrator Nathaniel Servando, who was onsite for the event, said.</p><p>Viewers included those who witnessed a total lunar eclipse for the first time as well as long-time astronomy enthusiasts.</p><p>“Grabe po, na-amaze po ako kasi parang di ako makapaniwala na nagkaka-ganun yung moon. Parang bumalik ako sa pagkabata ko,” Angela Adalem, who traveled from Caloocan City to witness the moon turning red, said with excitement.</p><p>(I was so amazed. I can’t believe this can happen to the moon. It’s as if I’m a child again.)</p><p>Clarisse Hari, meanwhile, rushed to UP right after clocking out at the school where she teaches for the eclipse. </p><p>“Happy ako na merong viewing dito sa UP ngayon and inabangan ko talaga so pagka-out ko sa work, dumiretso na ako dito,” she said.</p><p>(I am so happy that there is a telescope viewing of the eclipse here in UP. I was really excited for this so I went straight here after work.)</p><p>Parents JP and Joy Sarte brought their three sons, ages 7, 5, and 4 to the viewing party. It was the boys’ first time using a telescope.</p><p>“I’ve been wanting to tell them stories about the sky, moon. In fact, I bought them a globe para maintindihan nila yung mundo (so they could understand the world),” JP said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>BLOOD MOON</strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1772589630729Screen Shot 2026-03-04 at 10.00.05 AM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">People watch the total lunar eclipse from a rooftop in Pasig City on Tuesday evening as the moon gradually darkens and turns a deep crimson red above the Sierra Madre skyline. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News<br/></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>The moon was already in partial eclipse phase when it rose from the eastern horizon before 6 p.m.</p><p>The total eclipse began at 7:04 p.m. and ended at 8:03 p.m. During this period, the moon turned red.</p><p>The moon, however, did not turn copper-red as expected.</p><p>“Dalawang klase ang shadow na naki-create [ng eclipse] – yung tinatawag na penumbral shadow, which is the lighter part of the shadow, and umbral shadow, that is the darker portion. Dyan (sa umbral shadow) [supposedly] dadaan ang buwan pero ito ay nanggilid lamang dun sa pinaka-umbral shadow kaya may lighter part kang makikita na hindi totally tunay na pula,” PAGASA’s Space Science and Astronomy Section senior specialist Mario Raymundo explained.</p><p>(The earth produces two kinds of shadow during a total lunar eclipse – the lighter penumbra and the darker umbra. The moon did not totally pass through the darker shadow that’s why it did not completely turn red.)</p><p>He added that the earth’s atmosphere also affects the way the color of the moon is observed.</p><p>For many cultures across the world, a blood moon is considered a bad omen but PAGASA said allowing the public to view the eclipse through telescopes can help explain the science behind the phenomenon and dispel myths, superstitions, and negative thinking related to the event.</p><p>“Gusto nating ipaliwanag na ito ay natural phenomenon, safe at of course, it’s a beautiful phenomenon. At huwag nating ikabit sa isip natin na ito ay omen of bad luck or baka may darating na conflict like for example war, or mga major disease outbreak,” Servando said.</p><p>(We want to show that a lunar eclipse is a natural, safe, and beautiful phenomenon. We shouldn’t associate it with bad omen, conflicts like war, or major disease outbreaks.)</p><p>“It’s a good onboarding for yung mga bago sa (those who are new to) astronomy,” Sarte mused.</p><p>“Talagang para sa bayan (It really is science for the people) and we are able to appreciate science and technology even more. It’s good to slow down and take time to appreciate nature. I’m very grateful that the sky is very clear tonight,” Hari posited.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FabscbnNEWS%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0EitLK26jcujeayBoMry4Lxi38pghdr91nxFDZJRdx3NRqcK3KetHjuy2zRA7PgAyl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="683" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>For Adalem, it is also another way for Filipinos to come together.</p><p>“Na-appreciate ko po di lang dahil nakita ko yung moon. Mas naramdaman ko yung unity ng mga Filipino kung paano magsama-sama kapag may event tulad nito.”</p><p>(I really appreciated the viewing experience not only because of the moon. I felt the Filipino unity in events like this.)</p><p>A total lunar eclipse typically occurs every two and a half years.</p><p>The next total lunar eclipse visible in the Philippines will happen between December 31, 2028 and January 1, 2029.</p><p>Until then, Tuesday night reminded many Filipinos that science, when shared openly, can bring communities together.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><br/><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7_MUY8-R_EU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5X8lkbCFsLM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Stargazers gathered at Luneta Park in Manila and UP Diliman in Quezon City on Tuesday evening to witness a total lunar eclipse.</p>

Stargazers gathered at Luneta Park in Manila and UP Diliman in Quezon City on Tuesday evening to witness a total lunar eclipse.

Crowds gather at Luneta, UP Diliman to witness ‘blood moon’

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Crowds gather at Luneta, UP Diliman to witness ‘blood moon’

Bea Cuadra,

Ariel Rojas,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 04, 2026 01:05 AM PHT

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Updated March 04, 2026 10:45 AM PHT

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total lunar eclipse

Luneta Park

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