A portion of the moon will pass through Earth’s umbra—the dark inner part of Earth’s shadow—on the night of August 27–28, 2026, creating a partial lunar eclipse. This will be a very deep partial eclipse, as 93% of the moon will enter Earth’s umbra.
Stages of the partial lunar eclipse in August 2026 (including time)
Penumbral lunar eclipse begins (P1) (August 28, 01:23 UTC)
The penumbral lunar eclipse will begin on August 28, 2026, at 01:23 UTC, when the moon enters Earth’s penumbra—the faint outer part of Earth’s shadow.
The moon will appear slightly dimmer than usual. However, the effect will be so subtle that it may be difficult to notice.
Partial lunar eclipse begins (U1) (August 28, 02:33 UTC)
The partial lunar eclipse will begin on August 28, 2026, at 02:33 UTC, when the moon enters Earth’s umbra—the dark inner part of Earth’s shadow.
The portion of the moon inside Earth’s umbra will appear very dark, as if a bite has been taken out of it.
Moment of greatest eclipse (August 28, 04:13 UTC)
The moment of greatest eclipse will occur on August 28, 2026, at 04:13 UTC, when the largest portion of the moon enters Earth’s umbra—the dark inner part of Earth’s shadow.
At greatest eclipse, 93% of the moon will enter Earth’s umbra. The portion of the moon inside Earth’s umbra will appear dark red—much like the total phase of a total lunar eclipse—while the remaining 7% along the moon’s northern limb will appear bright white.
Partial lunar eclipse ends (U4) (August 28, 05:52 UTC)
The partial lunar eclipse will end on August 28, 2026, at 05:52 UTC, when the moon completely exits Earth’s umbra—the dark inner part of Earth’s shadow.
Again, the moon will appear slightly dimmer than usual.
Penumbral lunar eclipse ends (P4) (August 28, 07:02 UTC)
The penumbral lunar eclipse will end on August 28, 2026, at 07:02 UTC, when the moon completely exits Earth’s penumbra—the faint outer part of Earth’s shadow.
The moon will return to its normal state, and the eclipse will be over.
Visibility of the partial lunar eclipse in August 2026
The partial lunar eclipse on August 27–28, 2026, will be visible from the following geographic regions:
Entire eclipse: The entire eclipse—including the penumbral and partial phases—will be visible from much of North America, South America, and the Atlantic.
Eclipse at moonrise: In the central Pacific and northwestern North America, the eclipse will be underway when the moon rises in the east around sunset on August 27, 2026. As a result, the early stages of the eclipse will not be visible from these regions.
Eclipse at moonset: In Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, the eclipse will be underway when the moon sets in the west around sunrise on August 28, 2026. As a result, the later stages of the eclipse will not be visible from these regions.
No eclipse: The eclipse will not be visible from much of Asia and Australia because the moon will be below the horizon.
How long will the partial lunar eclipse in August 2026 last?
The partial eclipse—the period between the start and end of the partial phase (U1–U4)—will last about 3 hours and 19 minutes.
However, the entire eclipse—including the penumbral and partial phases—will last about 5 hours and 39 minutes.
What is a partial lunar eclipse?
A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the sun and the moon are on opposite sides of Earth, and a portion of the moon passes through Earth’s umbra—the dark inner part of Earth’s shadow.
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