Partial lunar eclipse to cover 94% of the Moon on 28 August 2026

Timing and lunar shadow entry

On the morning of 28 August 2026, the Moon will pass into Earth's shadow in a deep partial eclipse. The lunar body will first enter Earth's central umbral shadow at 04:34 Central European Time. At the peak of the passage, up to about 94% of the Moon's apparent diameter will be submerged in the dark umbra. The complete shadow transit will come to an end when the Moon exits the umbra at 07:52. The eclipse caps a sequence of astronomical events in August 2026, which also featured a solar eclipse and shooting star displays across the night sky.

Viewing conditions across Germany

Visibility of the eclipse from Germany will depend heavily on exact timing and local meteorological conditions. Uwe Pilz, chairman of the amateur astronomy association Vereinigung der Sternfreunde based in Bensheim in southern Hesse, explained to the Deutsche Presse-Agentur that the initial partial phase will provide the clearest viewing window. Observers will find the Moon positioned high in the night sky during the early phase, provided thick clouds do not block the view.

The start of the partial phase shortly after 4:30 is easy to see: the Moon is high in the sky, and it is still dark night.

As Earth's shadow advances further across the lunar surface, tracking the event will become steadily more difficult. The deepening coverage coincides directly with the onset of morning twilight across Germany. By the time maximum eclipse occurs shortly after 06:00, the approaching sunrise and the low altitude of the Moon near moonset will make the peak phase practically unobservable from German territory. By 07:52, when the Moon completes its exit from the umbra, it will have already set below the horizon across all regions of Germany.

Equipment and smartphone photography

Even with the observational constraints caused by morning twilight at the maximum, the early partial phase remains accessible for photography. Clear skies without thick cloud banks are necessary to view the lunar disc clearly. Observers will be able to take photographs using standard cameras fitted with telephoto lenses. Observers using mobile smartphones will also be able to record the darkened lunar disc while the sky remains completely dark before dawn.

Despite the limitations, this lunar eclipse is a worthwhile spectacle.

Upcoming lunar eclipses

Amateur astronomers and skywatchers will have several additional opportunities to observe lunar alignments in the coming years. A penumbral lunar eclipse will occur in the night leading into 21 February 2027. During that event, the Moon will bypass Earth's central umbra and traverse only the outer penumbral shadow, producing a surface darkening that is often very weak and difficult to discern. A total lunar eclipse will subsequently take place on 31 December 2028, when the entire lunar disc will become fully submerged in Earth's umbral shadow.