Skywatchers across North and South America will see a deep partial lunar eclipse on August 27–28, 2026, when nearly 96% of the Moon slides into Earth’s shadow. The cosmic alignment will dim the full Sturgeon Moon, casting a coppery, reddish-orange glow at its peak.
Celestial observers are preparing for an impressive night sky event later this week. On Thursday night and early Friday morning, the moon moves through Earth’s umbra, the dark center of its shadow, during a rare deep partial lunar eclipse.
The upcoming celestial alignment marks the first deep partial lunar eclipse anywhere in the world since September 18, 2024. Observers who miss this week’s event will have to wait until January 11–12, 2028, for another partial eclipse—though that instance will feature only 2.4% of the moon in Earth’s umbral shadow—before a true total lunar eclipse arrives on December 31, 2028. On Aug. 27-28, 2026, a very deep partial lunar eclipse will be visible from Europe, Africa, North America and South America, with just over 96% of the moon passing into Earth’s shadow.
Lunar eclipses happen when Earth is between the sun and a full moon. During the event, the moon moves through Earth’s umbra, the dark center of its shadow.
Viewing Geography and Timing Across North America
The best views of the August 2026 partial lunar eclipse will be from North and South America. According to Time and Date, 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. Viewing conditions will depend on the local weather, with western U.S. states, northern Chile and inland Brazil statistically offering the best odds of clear skies.
While lunar eclipses occur at the same universal time worldwide, local clock times depend heavily on geography. The eclipse will happen between 9:23 p.m. EDT on Thursday, Aug. 27, and 3:01 a.m. EDT on Friday, Aug. 28 (0123 and 0701 GMT on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026) with the peak of the event — when 96.2% of the lunar surface will appear reddish — happening at 0412 GMT. That translates to the following local times in North America:
Eastern time: 12:12 a.m. CDT on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026
Mountain time: 10:12 p.m. MDT on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026
Pacific time: 9:12 p.m. PDT on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026
Alaska time: 8:12 p.m. AKDT on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026
These are the times for maximum eclipse only. However, it’s worth looking at the moon about 39 minutes before these times to see the edge of Earth’s shadow inch across the lunar surface as the partial phase builds (and vice versa after maximum eclipse).
In Houston, the partial eclipse begins at 9:34 p.m. CDT when a dark “bite” starts to appear on the Moon. Peak fullness occurs at 11:13 p.m. CDT, when about 96.3% of the Moon will be inside Earth’s umbra, and the shadowed portion may glow coppery or reddish. The partial eclipse ends at 12:52 a.m. CDT when the Moon will begin shining fully again as it leaves the darkest part of Earth’s shadow.
What to Expect During the Sturgeon Moon Peak
During the August 2026 eclipse, the full “Sturgeon Moon” will rise and, later that night, pass into Earth’s umbral shadow. As it does, the full moon will dim and, as the partial eclipse reaches its peak, look slightly reddish-orange.
However, it won’t be a true “blood moon” because at no point will there be lunar totality — when the entire lunar surface falls under Earth’s shadow. The eclipse — including both the slight penumbral (when the moon drifts into Earth’s fuzzy outer shadow) and partial phases — will last 5 hours, 38 minutes.
This partial lunar eclipse will occur just over five days after the moon reaches apogee — its farthest point from Earth on its slightly elliptical orbit — making it of average apparent size. No special glasses are needed to watch a lunar eclipse. Find a spot with a clear view of the sky, then look up and enjoy the show.
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