96% Lunar Eclipse: What Astrologers Say

Astrologers say this week's near-total lunar eclipse in Pisces is unusually powerful and emotional.

A deep partial lunar eclipse will unfold on the night of August 27-28, 2026, visible across the Americas without any equipment. Space Daily reports that 96 percent of the Moon will sit inside Earth's dark inner shadow at maximum, glowing copper-red with only a bright sliver left along one edge. Space.com confirms that at maximum eclipse, 96.2% of the moon will slip into Earth's umbra, according to Time and Date cited by Space.com. The partial phase begins at 10:34 pm Eastern on August 27, with maximum at 12:12 am Eastern on August 28, according to Space Daily. The eclipse ends just after 3 am ET, as reported by ABC News.

Space Daily reports that astronomers are calling it the best lunar eclipse anywhere on Earth until New Year's Eve 2028, because at 96 percent coverage the Moon genuinely transforms, dimming enough for surrounding stars to come out and taking on full blood-Moon color across nearly its whole face. Space.com confirms that it is the deepest partial lunar eclipse visible anywhere on Earth until Dec. 31, 2028, making it a must-see event worth staying up late for. The next lunar eclipse of any kind visible from North America is more than a year away, according to Space Daily. The partial classification comes from a thin slice of the Moon's southern edge staying out of the deepest shadow, which is the only thing separating this event from a total eclipse, Space Daily notes.

ABC News reports that this year's sturgeon moon and lunar eclipse will occur in Pisces, the 12th and final zodiac sign, according to celebrity astrologer Kyle Thomas who spoke to Good Morning America. Thomas said that Pisces being a water sign opposite Virgo means both signs hold ties to health—physical or mental—as well as the physical or spiritual world, grounding us in the practical while opening us up to the divine. According to ABC News, Thomas said lunar eclipses are three times more powerful and emotional than full moons, marking culminations, breakthroughs, or breakdowns that trigger a crisis event causing us to assess our most internal fears, feelings and actions.

Kyle Thomas does not recommend manifesting during an eclipse because he considers eclipse energy intense and unpredictable, according to ABC News. Instead, Thomas recommends using the time to slow down, reflect, and pay attention to what is happening in your life. Eclipse season is an ideal period to journal, pray, relax, center yourself, and practice meditation, Thomas told ABC News. The Times of India separately reports that traditional Vedic astrology associates the eclipse with temporary confusion, heightened emotions, and incomplete information, advising people to avoid announcing major decisions or sharing confidential information during the eclipse period. The Times of India emphasizes that the best social media advice for the 2026 lunar eclipse is not fear but timing.

ABC News published Kyle Thomas's horoscope for each zodiac sign under this Pisces eclipse. For Pisces, Thomas said it is their time to shine, with an important personal goal or dream potentially within reach and a shift around a significant relationship possible. For Virgo, Thomas said relationships take center stage, with a big turning point possibly at hand—moving in, committing, getting engaged, or being wed, though if not aligned, partners could go separate ways. For Aries, Thomas said the lunation could help tap into innate psychic abilities and intuition, advising people to write down dreams or repeated déjà vu. For Leo, Thomas said a big payout, bonus, scholarship, inheritance, or benefits package could be coming. The Cut's daily horoscope for August 26, 2026, separately notes tension between the sun in Virgo and Pluto and Neptune, advising readers to buckle down and muscle through challenges rather than seek easy answers.

Space Daily reports that roughly 3.3 billion people live where some of this eclipse is visible, with the Americas getting the best seats. The full Sturgeon Moon of August is the sky's last big free show for a while, according to Space Daily. The next lunar eclipse of any kind visible from North America is more than a year away, and the next one deeper than this is the total eclipse of December 31, 2028, Space Daily reports. Utah's Herald Extra notes that Utahns will have to wait until 2029 for their next total lunar eclipse, citing NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Patrick Wiggins. Space.com also reminds readers that several eclipse livestreams will be available for those facing cloudy skies or locations outside the visibility zone, ensuring the event can still be watched online.