Near-Total 'Blood Moon' Eclipse Dazzles Aug 27-28

A 96% partial lunar eclipse coinciding with the Sturgeon Moon will be visible to billions.

On the night of August 27 into the early hours of August 28, 2026, a deep partial lunar eclipse will sweep across the skies of North and South America, western Europe, and western Africa. FOX Weather reports that roughly 3.3 billion people — about 44% of the world's population — will be able to witness the event. Space.com describes it as a "dramatic partial lunar eclipse" in which almost the entire moon slips into Earth's shadow, leaving only a slender sliver directly illuminated. The eclipse coincides with August's full moon, traditionally known as the Sturgeon Moon, making this one of the most accessible celestial spectacles of the year.

What makes this event unusual is just how close it comes to totality without crossing the line. Space.com reports that at maximum eclipse, 96.2% of the lunar surface will be covered by Earth's dark umbral shadow, while FOX Weather cites a figure of 96.3% of the moon's disk within the umbra. AOL, citing AccuWeather meteorologist Tyler Roys, states that 93% of the moon will pass through Earth's shadow at the eclipse's peak. Regardless of the exact figure, all sources agree this is an exceptionally deep partial eclipse — deep enough that much of the moon may take on the reddish-orange hue typically associated with a total "blood moon," creating what Space.com calls an "almost blood moon."

According to Space.com, the penumbral phase begins at 9:23 p.m. EDT on August 27, with the partial umbral phase starting at 10:33 p.m. EDT. Maximum eclipse occurs at 12:12 a.m. EDT on August 28, and the partial phase ends at 1:51 a.m. EDT. AOL reports that for Central Daylight Time viewers, the eclipse begins at 9:35 p.m. on August 27, reaches its deepest point at 11:12 p.m., and ends at 12:53 a.m. on August 28, with the full moon peaking at 11:18 p.m. CDT — just minutes after maximum eclipse. The Boston Globe confirms the same EDT timings for New England observers, noting the official full moon coincides almost exactly with peak eclipse.

The full moon accompanying this eclipse is the Sturgeon Moon, named for the historic late-summer abundance of the native freshwater fish in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain region, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac as cited by AOL. The Boston Globe reports that this eclipse belongs to Saros 138, a series of eclipses that repeat roughly every 18 years, 11 days, and 8 hours. According to the Globe, the series began in 1521 and will not conclude until 2982. Every eclipse in the series since 1918 has been partial, and this one — at about 96% coverage — is the deepest of the bunch. The next eclipse in the series, in 2044, will finally be total.

For viewers in North America, the eclipse arrives at a convenient hour, with AOL noting that clear skies are forecast for parts of Illinois and the event requires no special equipment — lunar eclipses are completely safe to view with the naked eye. However, UK observers face a tougher proposition. Wales Online reports that the partial eclipse begins around 3:30 a.m. BST on August 28, reaching its deepest point around 5:10 a.m., when the moon will be sitting low in the western sky as dawn approaches. Wales Online quotes astronomy expert Daisy Dobrijevic advising viewers to seek higher ground or an open spot facing west with an unobstructed view toward the horizon.

After the Sturgeon Moon eclipse, AOL lists four more full moons remaining in 2026, including two supermoons: the Beaver Moon on November 24 and the Cold Moon on December 23. The Boston Globe notes that this eclipse is the fourth and final in an 18-month stretch sometimes called an "almost tetrad" — three total eclipses followed by this near-total one — and that a true tetrad (four consecutive totals) is not expected until 2032 and 2033. For those hoping to see a fully total lunar eclipse, Wales Online reports the next one visible from the UK will not arrive until December 31, 2028, making this week's near-total event a rare opportunity for the foreseeable future.