Deep Partial Eclipse Turns Moon Blood Red August 27

A deep partial lunar eclipse on Aug. 27-28 will cover up to 96% of the moon, creating a blood-red spectacle visible across the Americas.

Skywatchers across North America are gearing up for a deep partial lunar eclipse on the night of August 27–28, 2026, an event that multiple outlets describe as one of the year's most anticipated celestial sights. According to the Bergen Record, the eclipse will come close to total, with about 93% of the moon passing through Earth's umbral shadow. Cowboy State Daily reports that 96.2% of the moon will be covered at maximum, leaving only a tiny sliver uncovered. While technically classified as a partial eclipse, the depth of coverage is enough to produce the reddish appearance commonly associated with a blood moon.

What makes this event striking is how unusually deep the partial coverage is. Cowboy State Daily quotes retired Wyoming State Climatologist Jan Curtis, who notes that partial eclipses are usually only 20% or 50%, making the over-96% coverage "unusual and spectacular." According to Curtis, viewers will see "a reddish moon with a slight sliver of silver at the edge," creating an interesting contrast. WROK 1440 reports that 93–96% of the moon will be covered in Northern Illinois, close enough for the eclipsed portion to take on a familiar eerie reddish-orange or copper color. My Country 95.5 similarly describes the event as an "almost" blood moon, with 96% coverage over Wyoming skies.

Timing varies significantly by location. According to the Bergen Record, viewers in the Eastern time zone will see the penumbral eclipse begin at 12:13 a.m. EDT on August 28, with the partial phase starting at 12:34 a.m., maximum eclipse at 1:47 a.m., and the full event ending at 3:22 a.m. Cowboy State Daily reports that over Wyoming, the maximum eclipse occurs at 10:12 p.m. local time on August 27, while My Country 95.5 pegs the Wyoming peak at approximately 10:00 p.m. For Northern Illinois, WROK 1440 reports the partial eclipse beginning around 9:33 p.m. with maximum at approximately 11:12 p.m. on August 27.

The blood-red color occurs because Earth's atmosphere filters sunlight, scattering shorter blue and green wavelengths while allowing longer red and orange wavelengths to reach the moon's surface. Yahoo explains that the moon still receives some sunlight during an eclipse, but that light travels through Earth's atmosphere, which scatters blue light and allows red and orange light through. WROK 1440 describes the effect as "basically a sunrise and sunset happening around the entire edge of Earth at the same time." Cowboy State Daily notes that high-wavelength colors like blue and green are scattered before reaching the moon, leaving only a deep red color to illuminate the lunar surface.

Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse is completely safe to watch with the naked eye, and no eclipse glasses or protective filters are needed, according to multiple sources. The Bergen Record advises that observers can watch the entire event from start to finish without special preparation. Yahoo recommends heading somewhere with a clear view of the sky and as little light pollution as possible for the best experience. Binoculars or a telescope can enhance the view by revealing sharp details of crater rims and the changing shadow, as My Country 95.5 notes, but they are not necessary for enjoying the spectacle.

August 2026 has been packed with celestial events. The Bergen Record notes that the Perseid meteor shower and a solar eclipse earlier in August were highlights before this lunar eclipse arrived. Cowboy State Daily reports that a total solar eclipse occurred on August 12, visible from Iceland and parts of Spain and Portugal, and that it is common for a lunar eclipse to follow a solar eclipse about two weeks later. According to Cowboy State Daily, the August 27 eclipse will be visible across all of North and South America, Africa, the Middle East, and western Europe — even Antarctica will get a good view. Curtis also told Cowboy State Daily that a recent solar flare could potentially bring Northern Lights during the eclipse window.