August 2026’s full sturgeon moon will feature a partial lunar eclipse overnight on August 27–28. Earth’s shadow will cover up to 96% of the lunar surface, creating a reddish crimson hue visible to billions across North America, South America, and parts of Europe and Africa.
Stargazers across the Western Hemisphere are preparing for a deep partial lunar eclipse that will transform the appearance of the late-summer full moon. The celestial alignment occurs as Earth passes directly between the sun and the moon during the monthly full moon phase. The full moon this month is known as the sturgeon moon, named after the sturgeon fish commonly found in several regions of North America during late summer, particularly in the Great Lakes.
While solar and lunar eclipses typically come in pairs following a solar eclipse earlier in the month, this particular event stands out for the sheer scale of the lunar surface that will fall into shadow. Observers won’t need any specialized safety glasses or specialized equipment to view a lunar eclipse, as it will look magnificent to the naked eye. However, binoculars or even a telescope can heighten the experience by granting a magnified view of the moon as Earth’s shadow slowly marches across its cratered surface.
Visibility Across North America and Global Time Zones
The Aug. 27–28 partial lunar eclipse will be visible to roughly 3.3 billion people spread across North America, South America and parts of Europe and Africa. Each phase will occur simultaneously for everyone watching from Earth, though the local timings for each eclipse phase will vary depending on your location. In Northern California, a partial lunar eclipse will grace the skies on Thursday, Aug. 27, where as the sun sinks in the west on Thursday night, the moon will already be moving into the umbra (the main shadow of the Earth) as it rises in the east.
For stargazers on the West Coast of America in cities like Los Angeles, California and Portland, Oregon, the point of maximum eclipse will arrive just a few hours after sunset. In Northern California, the moon will not be fully engulfed by the Earth’s shadow with 96% of the moon’s surface being covered, meaning there will remain a bright sliver of silvery moon when the eclipse reaches its maximum at 9:12 p.m. The moon will be out of the umbra by 10:51 p.m., allowing for an early bedtime as far as celestial events go.
Further down the timeline across the central and eastern United States, the maximum eclipse will be visible, while locations west of Texas will only see the partial phases of the eclipse, and states along the Pacific Coast will only be able to see the penumbral phase. While anyone watching from East Coast cities including New York and Jacksonville will see the lunar spectacle peak around midnight local time, Mainers will experience the full moon occurring at 12:18 a.m. Friday, August 28, with the maximum eclipse occurring just after midnight at 12:12 a.m. Friday.
For the United Kingdom, Europe and Africa, the eclipse will be an early morning affair, occurring shortly before sunrise as the moon arcs low towards the western horizon. You can check the exact timings and altitude of the moon during key phases of the Aug. 27–28 eclipse on TimeandDate.com. Sadly, the moon will be out of sight below the horizon for anyone on the day side of Earth as the eclipse unfolds, making it impossible to view with the naked eye from a host of countries including Australia, India, China and Japan.
Why the Moon Turns Red During the Peak
At its maximum point, Earth’s curved inner shadow will appear to creep across the lunar surface while leaving a thin crescent exposed to direct sunlight. Lunar eclipses only happen when the moon is aligned closely with the ecliptic, the plane in which Earth orbits the sun, allowing Earth to line up between the sun and moon, casting its shadow across the moon.
As sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere, blue light is scattered more easily, while red and orange light can continue through the atmosphere and reach the moon. The moon turns a yellowish-orange color or a gorgeous shade of crimson, the result of the filtered sunlight produced by the Earth’s atmosphere, which is then reflected by the moon, akin to the reddish glow from all of the sunrises and sunsets of the Earth being thrown onto the surface of the moon at once. That is why the moon can take on a reddish hue during a lunar eclipse, sometimes earning it the nickname “blood moon.”
The progression moves through distinct stages. The penumbral phase of this eclipse begins at 9:23 p.m. Thursday night when the moon first begins to move into the outer portion of Earth’s shadow, creating a subtle shading that can be difficult to notice. The partial eclipse will begin at 10:33 p.m. Thursday night and continue through 1:59 a.m. Friday morning.
Weather Forecasts and Stargazing Conditions
Cloud cover remains a factor for regional viewers hoping to catch the sight. As conditions stand now in New England, a frontal system is expected to move through the region Thursday night, bringing the chance for showers and storms. Clear skies will be limited, but breaks in the clouds are likely, so it is still worth a shot to look up even if you may just have to wait for the clouds to clear.
Similar caution applies on the West Coast, where the forecast does include increasing clouds Thursday night, prompting the advice to get out there early. Space.com will be sharing details on how to watch the partial lunar eclipse live online closer to the time, along with all the latest news via a live blog, leading up to the deepest lunar eclipse until New Years Eve 2028-2029.
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