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August 2026 lunar eclipse

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Partial Lunar Eclipse
28 August 2026

The moon passes west to east (right to left) across the Earth's umbral shadow, shown in hourly intervals.
Series 138 (30 of 83)
Gamma -0.4694
Magnitude -0.9299
Duration (hr:mn:sc)
Partial 3:18:07
Penumbral 5:37:46
Contacts
P1 1:23:55 UTC
U1 2:33;48
Greatest 4:12:49
U4 5:51:55
P4 7:01:41

The lunar eclipse is visible in North america

A partial lunar eclipse will take place on Friday 28 August 2026. The moon will be almost be inside the umbra, but not quite be contained within the umbral shadow at greatest eclipse.

This lunar eclipse follows the total solar eclipse of 12 August 2026.

This eclipse is the fourth and last of an almost tetrad, with others being 14 Mar 2025 (T), 07 Sep 2025 (T) and 03 Mar 2026 (T). In this almost tetrad, it's the only partial lunar eclipse. An almost tetrad occurs when has four consecutive lunar eclipses that has an umbral eclipse magnitude of 0.9 or greater without lunar eclipses that has an umbral eclipse magnitude of 0.89999 or smaller.

Visibility

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It will be completely visible over South and eastern North America, will be seen rising over the rest of North America, and setting over Africa and Europe.

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Eclipses in 2026

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Lunar year series

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Lunar eclipse series sets from 2024–2027
Descending node   Ascending node
Saros Date Type
Viewing
Gamma Saros Date
Viewing
Type
Chart
Gamma
113
2024 Mar 25
Penumbral
1.06098 118
2024 Sep 18
Partial
−0.97920
123 2025 Mar 14
Total
0.34846 128 2025 Sep 07
Total
−0.27521
133 2026 Mar 03
Total
−0.37651 138 2026 Aug 28
Partial
0.49644
143 2027 Feb 20
Penumbral
−1.04803 148 2027 Aug 17
Penumbral
1.27974
Last set 2023 May 05 Last set 2023 Oct 28
Next set 2028 Jan 12 Next set 2027 Jul 18

Saros series

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Lunar saros series 138 has 26 total eclipses between September 7, 2044 and March 24, 2369. The longest eclipse will be on January 7, 2243, and last for 102 minutes.

Partial eclipses will occur between June 24, 1918 and August 13, 2603. Penumbral eclipses will occur between October 15, 1521 and March 30, 2982. [1]

Metonic series

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The Metonic cycle repeats nearly exactly every 19 years and represents a Saros cycle plus one lunar year. Because it occurs on the same calendar date, the Earth's shadow will be in nearly the same location relative to the background stars.

  1. 1988 Mar 03.675 – Partial (113)
  2. 2007 Mar 03.972 – Total (123)
  3. 2026 Mar 03.481 – Total (133)
  4. 2045 Mar 03.320 – Penumbral (143)
  1. 1988 Aug 27.461 – partial (118)
  2. 2007 Aug 28.442 – total (128)
  3. 2026 Aug 28.175 – partial (138)
  4. 2045 Aug 27.578 – penumbral (148)

Half-Saros cycle

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A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[2] This lunar eclipse is related to two total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 145.

21 August 2017 2 September 2035

Tzolkinex

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Hermit Eclipse: Eclipse Saros 138
  2. ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros
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