96% Blood Moon Eclipse Grips Skywatchers

A near-total lunar eclipse on Aug 27-28 offers a rare reddish moon visible across the Americas and.

On the night of August 27-28, 2026, a very deep partial lunar eclipse will see Earth's shadow cover more than 96% of the moon's visible surface, according to Digital Camera World and Space.com. While it falls just short of totality, the eclipse will be deep enough to turn much of the moon a reddish-orange color, creating a spectacle that will look similar to a total lunar eclipse. According to NBC Boston, citing the Associated Press, the Americas will have the best seats in the celestial house for the event.

This lunar eclipse is the second act of an eclipse season, coming just over two weeks after the total solar eclipse of August 12, 2026, which paraded through Greenland, Iceland, and Spain, according to Digital Camera World and NBC Boston. Eclipses always travel in pairs as the sun, moon, and Earth align so precisely that one obscures the other. According to NBC Boston, the lunar eclipse will have a much bigger audience than Europe's solar show, with billions potentially able to see it across multiple continents.

According to Space.com, the eclipse will be visible from Europe, Africa, North America, and South America, with about 987 million people able to see all phases. The entire event, from the penumbral beginning to end, will last 5 hours and 38 minutes, with the darkest umbral phase lasting 3 hours and 18 minutes. Maximum eclipse occurs at 0412 GMT on August 28, which translates to 12:12 a.m. EDT, 11:12 p.m. CDT, and 9:12 p.m. PDT for North American viewers. In Europe, the eclipsed moon will be setting during the partial phase.

According to The Times of India, the Chandra Grahan on August 28 has the Moon in Aquarius and Shatabhisha Nakshatra, with the Sun in Leo opposite it, making it astrologically important for emotions, decisions, and relationships. The outlet reports that Aquarius, Leo, Capricorn, Pisces, and Taurus should be particularly careful, advising against rash decisions and unnecessary spending. However, the same source notes that traditional Sutak Kaal rules will not be applicable in India, as the eclipse will not be visible there.

The Chippewa Valley Astronomical Society plans a public telescope viewing at Phoenix Park in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, on Thursday at 8:30 p.m., according to the Leader-Telegram. Society treasurer John A. Peterson told the outlet that the moon will go from its normal brightness to being hundreds of thousands of times dimmer, appearing as bright as some of the brightest stars with a slightly reddish hue. The report notes that a similar event won't be observable from Eau Claire again until June 2029.

According to Digital Camera World, no deeper lunar eclipse will occur anywhere until the total lunar eclipse on New Year's Eve 2028. Space.com reports that the next total lunar eclipse visible from North America will not arrive until June 25-26, 2029. This makes the August 2026 event a particularly noteworthy opportunity for both casual observers and photographers. According to USA Today, the next total lunar eclipse visible from the United States will also be that June 2029 event, making this week's near-total show a rare chance to see a dramatically darkened moon.