August 2026 lunar eclipse
Template:Short description Template:Infobox lunar eclipse A partial lunar eclipse will occur at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Friday, August 28, 2026,[1] with an umbral magnitude of 0.9319. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when one part of the Moon is in the Earth's umbra, while the other part is in the Earth's penumbra. Unlike a solar eclipse, which can only be viewed from a relatively small area of the world, a lunar eclipse may be viewed from anywhere on the night side of Earth. Occurring about 6 days after perigee (on August 22, 2026, at 4:20 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter will be larger.[2]
This lunar eclipse will be the last of an almost tetrad, with the others being on March 14, 2025 (total); September 8, 2025 (total); and March 3, 2026 (total).
Visibility
The eclipse will be completely visible over North and South America, seen rising over the central Pacific Ocean and setting over Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.[3]
| File:Lunar eclipse from moon-2026Aug28.png File:Lunar eclipse chart close-2026Aug28.png |
Eclipse details
Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[4]
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Penumbral Magnitude | 1.96645 |
| Umbral Magnitude | 0.93187 |
| Gamma | 0.49644 |
| Sun Right Ascension | 10h26m57.9s |
| Sun Declination | +09°42'52.7" |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 15'50.0" |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.7" |
| Moon Right Ascension | 22h26m06.3s |
| Moon Declination | -09°18'03.6" |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 15'18.2" |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 0°56'09.9" |
| ΔT | 72.3 s |
Eclipse season
Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". This eclipse is part of an eclipse season, a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two (or occasionally three) eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months (173 days) later; thus two full eclipse seasons always occur each year. Either two or three eclipses happen each eclipse season. In the sequence below, each eclipse is separated by a fortnight.
| August 12 Descending node (new moon) |
August 28 Ascending node (full moon) |
|---|---|
| File:SE2026Aug12T.png | File:Lunar eclipse chart close-2026Aug28.png |
| Total solar eclipse Solar Saros 126 |
Partial lunar eclipse Lunar Saros 138 |
Related eclipses
Eclipses in 2026
- An annular solar eclipse on February 17.
- A total lunar eclipse on March 3.
- A total solar eclipse on August 12.
- A partial lunar eclipse on August 28.
Metonic
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 8, 2022
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 15, 2030
Tzolkinex
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 16, 2019
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 8, 2033
Half-Saros
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of September 2, 2035
Tritos
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 28, 2015
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 27, 2037
Lunar Saros 138
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of August 16, 2008
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 7, 2044
Inex
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 16, 1997
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 7, 2055
Triad
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 28, 1939
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 29, 2113
Lunar eclipses of 2024–2027
Template:Lunar eclipse set 2024-2027
Metonic series
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.
|
|
| File:Metonic lunar eclipse 1988-2045.png | File:Metonic lunar eclipses 1988-2045.png |
Saros 138
This eclipse is a part of Saros series 138, repeating every 18 years, 11 days, and containing 82 events. The series started with a penumbral lunar eclipse on October 15, 1521. It contains partial eclipses from June 24, 1918 through August 28, 2026; total eclipses from September 7, 2044 through June 8, 2495; and a second set of partial eclipses from June 19, 2513 through August 13, 2603. The series ends at member 82 as a penumbral eclipse on March 30, 2982.
The longest duration of totality will be produced by member 48 at 105 minutes, 24 seconds on March 24, 2369. All eclipses in this series occur at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit.[5]
| Greatest | First | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The greatest eclipse of the series will occur on 2369 Mar 24, lasting 105 minutes, 24 seconds.[6] | Penumbral | Partial | Total | Central |
| 1521 Oct 15 |
1918 Jun 24 File:Lunar eclipse chart close-1918Jun24.png |
2044 Sep 07 File:Lunar eclipse chart close-2044Sep07.png |
2116 Oct 21 | |
| Last | ||||
| Central | Total | Partial | Penumbral | |
| 2441 May 06 |
2495 Jun 08 |
2603 Aug 13 |
2982 Mar 30 | |
Eclipses are tabulated in three columns; every third eclipse in the same column is one exeligmos apart, so they all cast shadows over approximately the same parts of the Earth.
Tritos series
Template:Lunar Tritos series October 2004
Inex series
Template:Lunar Inex series August 2026
Half-Saros cycle
A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[7] This lunar eclipse is related to two total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 145.
| August 21, 2017 | September 2, 2035 |
|---|---|
| File:SE2017Aug21T.png | File:SE2035Sep02T.png |
See also
Notes
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- ↑ Listing of Eclipses of series 138
- ↑ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros
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