How to see this week's partial lunar eclipse 🌒

Following the excitement of the partial solar eclipse visible from the UK earlier this month, stargazers can now look forward to a partial lunar eclipse, due to take place later this week.

The eclipse, which happens when the Earth's shadow falls across the full Moon, will occur in the early hours of Friday 28th August 2026 (in the UK).

While fans might think that the chance of a lunar eclipse happening so close to a solar eclipse is a coincidence, it is in fact a certainty that the two eclipses will happen within two weeks of each other!

What are the timings?

The timings for UK viewers are:

Lunar eclipse begins: 2.23am

Lunar eclipse (main shadow) begins: 3.33am

Partial lunar eclipse maximum: 5.12am

End of visible eclipse: 6.15am (from London, other areas will vary slightly) This is because the Moon sets.

Partial lunar eclipse ends: 6.51am, however the Moon will no longer be visible from the UK after it has set.

The eclipse will be visible across North and South America, Africa, and other parts of Europe, so depending on the time zone, some areas might see the eclipse late on Thursday 27th August.

How to view the lunar eclipse

Unlike the solar eclipse where you needed to use special glasses or view the shadow (such as with a pinhole camera), you can view the lunar eclipse with the naked eye.

The Moon will be heading towards the horizon when the eclipse starts, so for the best view make sure you have a good view of the south-western horizon.

How much will be covered?

Viewing from the UK, around 93% of the Moon will be covered by the Earth's shadow on 28th August, with maximum occurring at 5.12am BST.

This time around nowhere in the world will be able to observe a total eclipse.

What colour will the Moon turn?

During a lunar eclipse the Moon turns a red colour, which is sometimes called a Blood Moon. However, every eclipse is different, and the Moon can turn varying shades of red and orange.