An upcoming astronomical event will bring a deep partial lunar eclipse across the night skies, darkening roughly 96% of the moon’s surface. According to NBC Chicago, the celestial phenomenon on August 27–28 will nearly constitute a total lunar eclipse as the Earth moves directly between the full moon and the sun, casting its dark central shadow, or umbra, across the lunar body.
Deep Partial Lunar Eclipse to Obscure 96% of the Moon
Unlike solar eclipses, which require eye protection, lunar eclipses are completely safe to view with the naked eye. Observers are advised by scientists to seek locations with dark skies and minimal cloud cover for the best viewing experience.
What Causes the Reddish “Blood Moon” Effect
During the peak of the eclipse, the obscured lunar surface is expected to take on a reddish, coppery glow often likened to a smoldering sunset. Simon Birrer, an assistant professor of observational cosmology at Newsday, noted that a tiny sliver of direct sunlight will remain visible on one side of the moon.
According to experts, this reddish hue occurs because colors with shorter wavelengths, such as blues and violets, scatter easily through the Earth’s atmosphere. Longer wavelengths like red and orange are able to pass through the atmosphere and illuminate the lunar body. Additionally, observers might spot a pale, turquoise band situated between the bright penumbral sliver and the reddened disk, a hue caused by sunlight filtered through the stratospheric ozone layer, which absorbs red light.
Timing and Visibility Across Time Zones
The eclipse will be widely visible across the Americas, Africa, Europe, and western Asia. For viewers in the United States, the progression of the eclipse spans multiple time zones:
- EDT: Partial eclipse begins at 10:33 p.m. on August 27; greatest eclipse occurs at 12:13 a.m. on August 28; partial eclipse ends at 1:52 a.m.
- CDT: Partial eclipse begins at 9:33 p.m. on August 27; greatest eclipse occurs at 11:13 p.m.; partial eclipse ends at 12:52 a.m. on August 28.
- MDT: Partial eclipse begins at 8:33 p.m. on August 27; greatest eclipse occurs at 10:13 p.m.; partial eclipse ends at 11:52 p.m.
- PDT: Partial eclipse begins at 7:33 p.m. on August 27; greatest eclipse occurs at 9:13 p.m.; partial eclipse ends at 10:52 p.m.
According to Sky & Telescope, maximum eclipse will be visible throughout the Americas with the exception of Hawaiʻi and parts of Alaska. In regions like the West Coast, the moon will rise with the partial eclipse either already underway or soon to begin.
What to Expect During the Phases
Jeffrey Katz, a member of the Hamptons Observatory advisory board, compared the visual progression to the video game Pac-Man in a phone interview, explaining that increasingly larger portions of the moon appear to be consumed as the Earth’s shadow advances.
Roughly a half-hour prior to the start of the partial eclipse, observers can notice the eastern third of the moon growing duller and taking on a bruised appearance as it enters the penumbral shadow—an outer zone of partial sunlight and shadow. The moon travels through this space at a speed exceeding one kilometer per second (2,260 mph). Following the conclusion of this event, future partial lunar eclipses will not occur immediately; the next three lunar eclipses will be penumbral eclipses, which cause only slight darkening, with the next partial lunar eclipse scheduled for January 12, 2028.
