Lunar Eclipse, August 28, 2026

Often, a solar eclipse is followed by a lunar eclipse a good two weeks later, or a lunar eclipse is followed by another solar eclipse. However, it is rare for the solar and lunar eclipses that make up such an „eclipse season“ to be visible from the same location on Earth. In the case of the lunar eclipse on August 28, 2026—which follows the solar eclipse of August 12—this will indeed be the case when viewed from Germany. However, both eclipses will only be partially visible from there.

A lunar eclipse occurs whenever the Moon, as it orbits the Earth, enters the shadow that the Earth casts into space. The Earth’s shadow consists of two regions: the inner umbra and the outer penumbra. The clearly visible part of the eclipse begins on August 28 at 4:33 a.m. when the Moon enters the umbra. At that time, the Moon will be slightly higher in the sky in Germany than the Sun was at the start of the solar eclipse on August 12. 

As time goes on, however, not only does it get closer and closer to the horizon, but dawn also begins to break, brightening the sky. This makes it increasingly difficult to spot the moon. Binoculars can help here. However, the maximum eclipse at 6:13 a.m. will occur in eastern Germany after the moon has set and the sun has risen. 

In the far west of the country, however, the times of sunrise and sunset—as well as moonrise and moonset—are delayed by a little more than half an hour, so more of the eclipse will be visible. However, the Moon’s exit from the umbra at 7:53 a.m. will, in any case, occur long after sunrise and moonset as seen from Germany. In western Spain, West Africa, and the Canary Islands, however, nearly the entire passage through the umbra can be observed. Optimal viewing conditions will be in the eastern parts of the U.S. and Canada, as well as throughout South America.

During this eclipse, the Moon will enter the Earth’s umbra at a maximum of 93%. This is therefore a partial lunar eclipse, and a small portion of the Moon will remain bright throughout. The typical copper-red color that the Moon takes on during a total lunar eclipse might be faintly visible in the eclipsed portion of the Moon, at least in western Germany.

To observe the eclipse, you’ll need a clear sky and an unobstructed view of the southwestern horizon. The vast majority of locations from which the solar eclipse was visible on August 12 should also be suitable for observing the lunar eclipse on August 28—for example, from the hill at the Zweibrücken Observatory. It can also be very rewarding to capture the partially eclipsed Moon just above the horizon with a suitable foreground subject in the frame. 

In modified form from Partial Lunar Eclipse in the Early Morning Hours of August 28, 2026 – Vereinigung der Sternfreunde e.V.