Billions of stargazers across North and South America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East will experience a deep partial lunar eclipse on the night of August 27, 2026. Earth’s central shadow will cover up to 96% of the lunar surface, turning the full moon a dramatic rusty red.
Lunar eclipse of the year
Stargazers are preparing for a lunar eclipse as Earth passes directly between the moon and the sun, casting a reddish-orange shadow onto our closest neighbor. Coming just two weeks after a total solar eclipse paraded across Greenland, Iceland, and Spain, this celestial event offers a much broader viewing opportunity for observers around the globe.
Following the 12 August total solar eclipse across Spain, which gave viewers in the rest of Europe, the UK and North America a beautiful partial solar eclipse (plus the peak of the Perseid meteor shower), the summer 2026 stargazing calendar culminates this week with a dramatic lunar event: a deep partial lunar eclipse. Around 3.3 billion people will be able to experience the event. Starting on the night of Aug. 27 and continuing into Aug. 28 for some locations, the full moon will slip through Earth’s shadow, creating a partial lunar eclipse. At maximum eclipse, about 93% of the moon’s diameter will be inside Earth’s dark central shadow, called the umbra.
Visibility, Timings, and What the Numbers Show
More than three billion people—representing roughly 44% of the world’s population—will be positioned to catch at least part of the event, according to NASA and space reporting. Viewers across the United States, Canada, and Central and South America will enjoy views for the eclipse stretching over five and a half hours from the moment the full moon enters the Earth’s faint outer shadow until it leaves.
Because this is a partial eclipse rather than a total alignment, it will not technically be a true blood moon, noting that the lineup is not completely perfect. Even so, the event qualifies as an exceptionally deep partial eclipse. At maximum eclipse, about 93% to 96% of the moon’s diameter will be tucked securely inside the umbra, the dark central core of Earth’s shadow. Almost the entire lunar surface will be masked Thursday night into Friday — a whopping 96% — making this an especially deep partial eclipse.
| City / Region | Time Zone | Greatest Eclipse Timing |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | EDT | 00:12 (Aug 28) |
| Chicago, IL | CDT | 23:12 (Aug 27) |
| Houston, TX | CDT | 23:12 (Aug 27) |
| Denver, CO | MDT | 22:12 (Aug 27) |
| Los Angeles, CA | PDT | 21:12 (Aug 27) |
| Halifax, NS | ADT | 01:12 (Aug 28) |
| London, UK / Europe | Early Morning | 28 August |
Regional Forecasts and Orbital Optics
Tropical Storm Iselle
While the astronomical mechanics are precise, local weather may complicate viewing in certain areas. In California, Bay Area viewing conditions face potential interference as moisture from Tropical Storm Iselle moves over the region. Weather models point toward scattered high clouds and possible coastal low clouds, though astronomers note that high clouds are frequently translucent enough to let the moon shine through. As of Monday afternoon, weather models predicted the most widespread cloud cover over the South Bay and Central Coast, with scattered high clouds over the rest of the Bay Area, Edwards said. Fog is not expected to be widespread, but areas near the coast should prepare for at least some low clouds.
“It is unlikely skies will be completely clear Thursday evening.”
Anthony Edwards, Chronicle meteorologist
Observers will also contend with the moon’s low position in the southern sky, a seasonal trait of summer full moons known as the Sturgeon Moon. It coincides with the Sturgeon Moon. Lunar eclipses occur at full Moon, and August’s full Moon is known as the Sturgeon Moon. Most years, the Sturgeon Moon is a regular old full Moon. IN 2026, the Sturgeon Moon will coincide with a lunar eclipse.
Safety, Equipment, and Future Celestial Alignments
International Space Station
Unlike solar eclipses, which demand specialized safety glasses, lunar eclipses carry no such risk. Because observers simply watch reflected sunlight bouncing safely off the lunar surface, experts emphasize that lunar eclipses are completely safe to look at with the naked eye, making them far more accessible to the public.
“These eclipses are much more democratic.”
Andrew Fraknoi, astronomy professor at the Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco
Binoculars or a telescope will enhance the coppery rust details along the shadowed edge, providing a sharper view as the partial phase unfolds over three hours. Beyond Earth, the event may even be visible to the ten people currently living off-planet—including seven astronauts aboard the International Space Station and three crew members on China’s orbiting outpost—who enjoy a unique vantage point for auroras and cosmic shadows.
