An Almost Total Moon: Everything You Need to Know About the August 27-28 Partial Lunar Eclipse

A deep partial lunar eclipse on August 27-28, 2026, will be visible in North America and will be the best lunar eclipse anywhere on Earth until New Year’s Eve 2028. While officially classified as a partial eclipse, this astronomical event comes remarkably close to being total, making it one of the most visually impressive lunar eclipses in years.

At the moment of greatest eclipse, 4:13 a.m. Universal Time, 96.3% of the Moon’s disk is within Earth’s umbra, the central part of the shadow where the Sun is completely blocked by Earth. This extraordinary coverage means only a thin crescent of the lunar surface will remain directly lit by the sun, while the rest of the moon takes on a distinctive deep reddish-orange appearance. The rest of the moon will take on a deep reddish-orange hue.

Understanding what happens during a lunar eclipse requires knowing the geometry of our planet’s shadow. During lunar eclipses, the full moon passes through the Earth’s shadow. As the moon passes through the shadow, the sun’s light is blocked by the Earth. However, Earth’s atmosphere plays a fascinating role in creating the distinctive colors observers will witness. Some sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere before being bent toward the Moon. Our atmosphere scatters shorter blue wavelengths of light more efficiently while allowing more red and orange light to continue through. This atmospheric filtering is what gives the moon its characteristic reddish appearance during eclipse, a phenomenon sometimes called a blood moon.

People in Africa, Europe, most of the Americas and the eastern Pacific Ocean will see a deep lunar eclipse overnight on August 27-28, 2026. Visibility varies by location, with some regions having better viewing opportunities than others. South America will have excellent viewing conditions. Across most of the continent, the Moon will remain above the horizon for the entire eclipse and will be high in the sky during maximum. This part of the eclipse is visible in the Americas (except Alaska and northwestern Canada), western Europe and western Africa. For observers in the United States, the eclipse is visible on Thursday night, August 27, and lasts until just after midnight even on the West Coast.

One of the great advantages of lunar eclipses is their accessibility to observers. A lunar eclipse is completely safe to watch with your eyes alone. Unlike a solar eclipse, it does not require special eclipse glasses. You do not need a telescope, either. That said, enhancing the viewing experience is entirely possible. Binoculars or a small telescope can give you a closer view of Earth’s curved shadow moving across the Moon. Finding a dark location away from city lights will significantly improve what you can see, as the contrast will be more striking.

From start to finish, the eclipse will last 339 minutes. And the moon will be in Earth’s dark shadow – during the partial phases of the eclipse – for 199 minutes. This extended duration gives observers plenty of opportunity to watch the moon’s transformation from its initial subtle dimming through the dramatic main eclipse, and finally back to its normal brilliance.

As night sky events go, this eclipse represents a remarkable opportunity for skywatchers across multiple continents. About 12% of the world’s population — 987 million people — will see all phases of the eclipse (penumbral and partial), while around 16% — 1.3 billion — will see all of the partial phase. Whether you’re watching from your backyard or traveling to find clear skies, the August eclipse promises to be an unforgettable display of celestial mechanics in action.