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Ask the Meteorologist: What to know about Thursday night's partial lunar eclipse
WRAL • • general
Key Points:
- A partial lunar eclipse will occur from late Thursday night to early Friday morning, August 27-28, 2026, with 96% of the moon entering Earth's inner shadow and appearing red around midnight.
- The eclipse begins with a subtle penumbral phase at 9:24 p.m., becoming more visible as the moon moves into Earth's umbral shadow starting at 10:34 p.m., reaching maximum coverage at 12:12:53 a.m.
- Observers can watch the gradual movement of Earth's shadow across the moon, with key moments including a 50% partial eclipse at 11:15 p.m. and 1:11 a.m., and the eclipse ending by around 1:52 a.m.
- NASA Ambassador Tony Rice notes that lunar eclipses will be scarce in 2027 and 2028, with two total lunar eclipses visible in Raleigh in 2029 on June 26 and December 20.
- Viewers are encouraged to capture photos or videos of the eclipse and share them with local news for potential broadcast.
