A lunar eclipse happens when Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, and the Moon falls in Earth's shadow.
A deep partial lunar eclipse will be visible from the UK and Ireland in the early hours of 28 August 2026, with more than 90% of the Moon in the darkest part of Earth’s shadow at the eclipse's maximum.
This takes place just over a fortnight after the spectacular 12 August partial solar eclipse, but that isn't a coincidence; a solar eclipse always happens around two weeks before or after a lunar eclipse.
During the partial lunar eclipse, the portion of the Moon within Earth's umbra (deep shadow) may appear reddish or copper-coloured. This is because sunlight passing through Earth's atmosphere is scattered and refracted towards the Moon.
What is a partial lunar eclipse?
A partial lunar eclipse happens when the Moon passes through Earth's penumbra (the outer, lighter region of Earth’s shadow), and a section of it passes through the umbra (the darkest part of Earth’s shadow).
On 28 August we’ll see a partial lunar eclipse from the British Isles, but there'll be a particularly large portion of the Moon in Earth's umbra at over 90%.
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Partial lunar eclipse timings around the UK and Ireland, and what to expect
The main phases of the 28 August partial lunar eclipse occur at roughly the same time across the UK and Ireland, but the Moon's position in the sky and moonset time will vary by location.
The whole of the British Isles will see the same percentage of the Moon in shadow.
The penumbral part of the eclipse will begin at 2.23am. This is when the Moon moves into the lighter part of Earth's shadow, the penumbra. The darkening of the Moon will be subtle initially, becoming more prominent as the Moon moves deeper into the penumbra.
The partial phase of the lunar eclipse will begin at 3.33am BST, when the Moon first moves into Earth's umbra (the darkest part of its shadow).
The Moon will move further into the umbra until the maximum of the eclipse at 5.12am, with over 90% in the darkest part of the shadow.
The partial eclipse will end at about 6:51am, but the Moon will have set below the horizon before then, at around 6:15am in London (timings vary across the British Isles).
| Stage | Timings across UK and Ireland (BST) |
| Penumbral lunar eclipse begins | 2.23am |
| Partial lunar eclipse begins | 3.33am |
| Partial lunar eclipse maximum | 5.12am |
| End of visible eclipse (due to the Moon setting below horizon) | Moonset is at 6.15am from London, but moonset timings vary for different locations |
| Partial eclipse ends (not visible below horizon) | 6.51am |
How to see the 28 August 2026 partial lunar eclipse
The partial lunar eclipse will take place in the UK and Ireland during the hours before sunrise, with the Moon becoming increasingly low on the horizon as the eclipse progresses. This could make the latter part a challenge to see.
You'll need to get to a high vantage point with a clear view to the south-western horizon to see as much of this eclipse as possible.
As always when it comes to astronomical events, there's no guarantee the skies will be clear enough for us to see this lunar eclipse - but we'll keep our fingers crossed for no clouds.
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