Shoot the Total Lunar eclipse with Ian

A total lunar eclipse is a stunning sight! On 3 March 2026, there will be another total lunar eclipse visible from the eastern side of Australia.

The entire eclipse will be visible from the Canberra area. What's better, at a more civilised time than the 8 September 2025 total lunar eclipse.

We will need to arrive on site about 45 minutes before the partial phase of the eclipse starts to allow gear set up. The partial phase of the eclipse (when the earth's shadow called the umbra) starts to move over the Moon's disc starts at 8:50 pm. The total phase of the eclipse where the Moon is fully covered by the earth's shadow starts at 10:04 pm and ends at 11:02 pm (58 minutes, followed by a partial phase that ends at 12:17 am.

Please note that workshop participants should factor in up to three hours travelling time each way to the shooting site ie potentially up to six hours traveling. The idea is to travel to minimise the risk of the workshop being totally unsuccessful in obtaining clear skies if it is cloudy in the Canberra area itself. In the unlikely event that the weather is terrible, participants will be free to transfer to one of my other courses up to an equivalent value at no extra cost but otherwise the course is not refundable due to bad weather as I will do my best to put us under clear skies.

If it is clear in the Canberra area then we can convene at a local cafe and talk about setting to shoot the eclipse, have an early meal and then travel to the selected site.

The number of participants is restricted to 5. I will provide each participant with personalised tuition on how to focus to get the sharpest image of the Moon. I will also provide guidance as aI have imaged a number of lunar eclipses on the best settings for each phase of the eclipse.

Please note you will need a DSLR camera or Mirroless camera, sturdy tripod and a telephoto lens of at least 150 mm to shoot the Moon. If you do not have a telephoto lens, then I am happy for you to come along on the understanding that in wider angle shots, the Moon will appear quite small in such images. .

I will be bringing two trackers, so each participant, if they wish, will have the opportunity to obtain some tracked images of the Moon during the event, if they do not have their own tracker.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any additional questions about this event.

Ian Williams