Missed This Month’s Solar Eclipse? Catch This Week’s Stunning Partial Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse — Here’s What You Need To Know
If you couldn’t make it out to see the dramatic total solar eclipse earlier this month, you won’t have to wait long for another incredible celestial show. Stretching from Thursday night into early Friday morning, skywatchers will get the chance to view a deep partial lunar eclipse that will produce a vivid “blood moon” effect.
Earth’s shadow will cover nearly the entire bright face of the moon, painting the lunar surface in a striking reddish-orange glow. The partial eclipse phase will last roughly 3 hours and 18 minutes total. At its peak, the eclipse will reach a magnitude of 0.93, meaning around 93% of the moon’s diameter will sit inside the darkest central part of Earth’s shadow — making the red glow far more prominent than a typical shallow partial eclipse.
August Lunar Eclipse Viewing Timeline
While this month’s solar eclipse put Europe in the best viewing position, this week’s lunar event favors the Americas. Peak timing falls during overnight hours across North and South America, putting most local skywatchers in ideal position to watch the entire event unfold.
Europe will also get a glimpse of the eclipse, but most viewers will have to wait until pre-dawn, and viewing opportunities will be limited across much of the continent. For example, across parts of Spain, early dawn twilight and the moon’s low altitude will make clear observation very difficult. Of course, there’s a small silver lining for European skywatchers: they got front-row access to that stunning total solar eclipse just a few weeks ago.
Below are local peak eclipse times for major cities across the region. If you want the full experience, plan to head outside earlier than the peak and stay after the maximum phase to watch the shadow’s full progression:
New York: 12:14 am
Chicago: 11:14 pm
Denver: 10:14 pm
Los Angeles: 9:14 pm
Mexico City: 10:14 pm
Lima: 11:14 pm
Buenos Aires: 1:14 am
London: 5:12 am
What Causes a Blood Moon?
Any deep lunar eclipse typically gives the moon a reddish tint; when the eclipse is total, the event earns its popular “blood moon” name. The effect comes from how indirect sunlight reaches the moon during an eclipse: sunlight has to pass through Earth’s atmosphere before it hits the moon’s surface. During that passage, shorter blue wavelengths of light get scattered and filtered out by our atmosphere, leaving only the red end of the light spectrum to illuminate the moon.
Because this partial eclipse is so deep, the red effect will be very noticeable. NASA explains the phenomenon simply: “It’s as if all of the world’s sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the moon.”
How To Get The Best View Of The Eclipse
Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely safe to view with the naked eye — no special protective eye gear is required at any phase of the event. That said, a few simple tips will drastically improve your viewing experience:
Escape light pollution if you can: Find a dark spot away from bright city lights with an unobstructed view of the sky. A home rooftop or open terrace makes an excellent viewing spot. Even if you can’t leave the city, you’ll still be able to see the eclipse as long as the weather cooperates.
Arrive early to your spot: Getting set up before the eclipse reaches its peak lets you appreciate how Earth’s shadow slowly creeps across the lunar surface, a subtle effect many first-time viewers miss.
Use binoculars or a telescope if you have them: Even basic optical gear will let you see far more detail of the moon and the advancing shadow. If you have a telescope, pay close attention to the border between the illuminated part of the moon and Earth’s shadow — you’ll be able to watch the shadow move craters, lunar mountains, and other surface features one by one.
No gear? Join a public event or watch a livestream: If you don’t own your own viewing gear, check your local science museum, observatory, or astronomy club — many host free public eclipse viewing parties open to the community. If the sky is cloudy where you live, you can still watch the eclipse unfold online; for example, timeanddate.com hosts a free public livestream of the event.
Don’t forget the rest of the sky: As the moon dims during the eclipse, surrounding stars will become far easier to spot than they are on a typical bright full moon. Near the eclipse’s peak, take a few minutes to put down your gear and gaze at the whole sky — it’s an underrated treat of the experience.
This story is adapted from an original piece originally published on WIRED en Español, translated and rewritten from the original Spanish.
