Rochester, New York – A nighttime attempt to watch the total lunar eclipse on March 3, 2026, turned into a striking display when a colorful airplane contrail crossed the sky.

Video filmed by X user Joseph Frascati shows the partially eclipsed moon hanging low, its red hue faint through scattered clouds. Diagonally cutting across the frame, a multicolored trail glows in shades of purple, blue, green, and orange, creating a vivid arc that dominates the scene.

The iridescent contrail reflects light from the moon and atmosphere, while the eclipsed moon remains visible in the lower corner. As the handheld camera stays steady, the trail gradually expands and fades, its colors shifting with the angle. Faint city lights twinkle along the horizon below, adding depth to the display.

Frascati described the moment as a “Moon view failure with this bonus colorful airplane trail,” turning an attempted eclipse watch into an unexpected spectacle.

He later noted that the sunrise that followed was even more impressive than the eclipse itself, continuing the night’s astronomical theme.

The total lunar eclipse on March 3, 2026, was the only one of the year, visible across the Americas with maximum totality around 5:33 a.m. ET. The moon turned deep red for about 58 minutes, though cloud cover in parts of New York created mixed viewing conditions, similar to Frascati’s experience.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download