Partial Lunar Eclipse — August 28, 2026

Just two weeks after the August 2026 total solar eclipse comes its lunar counterpart: a partial lunar eclipse on August 28, 2026. Solar and lunar eclipses travel in pairs like this because both require the same alignment of Sun, Earth, and Moon near the nodes of the Moon’s orbit.

In a partial lunar eclipse, only part of the Moon enters Earth’s dark umbral shadow while the rest stays in the fainter penumbra. The result is a Moon that looks like something took a bite out of it — the shadowed portion darkening to a dusky gray-red while the remainder shines normally.

The whole event is visible from the Americas, Europe, and Africa, weather permitting. And as with all lunar eclipses, it is perfectly safe to watch with unaided eyes — the Moon never gets bright enough to harm vision, and no filters or glasses are needed at any point.

Partial lunar eclipses are subtler than total ones but easier to catch: the partial phases last longer relative to the whole event, and even a small bite out of the Moon is obvious to the naked eye. Binoculars reveal the razor-sharp edge of Earth’s shadow sweeping across the lunar surface.

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