The partial lunar eclipse on the night of August 27–28, 2026, has passed. The next partial lunar eclipse will occur on the night of January 11–12, 2028. Here’s everything you need to know about it.
A portion of the moon will pass through Earth’s umbra—the dark inner part of Earth’s shadow—on the night of January 11–12, 2028, creating a very shallow partial lunar eclipse.
Stages of the partial lunar eclipse in January 2028 (including time)
Penumbral lunar eclipse begins (P1) (January 12, 02:07 UTC)
The penumbral lunar eclipse will begin on January 12, 2028, at 02:07 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) (January 12, 03:45 UTC)
The partial lunar eclipse will begin on January 12, 2028, at 03:45 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 (January 12, 04:13 UTC)
The moment of greatest eclipse will occur on January 12, 2028, 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, only 2.4% of the moon will enter Earth’s umbra.
Partial lunar eclipse ends (U4) (January 12, 04:42 UTC)
The partial lunar eclipse will end on January 12, 2028, at 04:42 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) (January 12, 06:19 UTC)
The penumbral lunar eclipse will end on January 12, 2028, at 06:19 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 January 2028
The partial lunar eclipse on January 11–12, 2028, will be visible from the following geographic regions:
Entire eclipse: The entire eclipse—including the penumbral and partial phases—will be visible from North America, South America, Europe, and western Africa.
Eclipse at moonrise: In the central Pacific, the eclipse will be underway when the moon rises in the east around sunset on January 11, 2028. As a result, the early stages of the eclipse will not be visible from these regions.
Eclipse at moonset: In eastern Africa, western and central Asia, the eclipse will be underway when the moon sets in the west around sunrise on January 12, 2028. 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 eastern and southern Asia and Australia because the moon will be below the horizon.
How long will the partial lunar eclipse in January 2028 last?
The partial eclipse—the period between the start and end of the partial phase (U1–U4)—will last about 57 minutes.
However, the entire eclipse—including the penumbral and partial phases—will last about 4 hours and 11 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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