Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse in US: The last total lunar “Blood Moon” eclipse visible in the U.S. occurred on March 3, 2026. The next upcoming lunar event for North America is a deep partial lunar eclipse on the night of August 27–28, 2026, covering about 96% of the Moon. The next total lunar eclipse will not happen until late 2028. Here’s everything you need to know about the Blood Moon total lunar eclipse in US, and more.
Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse in US
The next major lunar alignment over the United States occurs on the night of August 27–28, 2026. While the year’s actual total lunar eclipse took place earlier on March 3, 2026, this upcoming August event is an exceptionally deep partial lunar eclipse where roughly 96% of the moon will plunge into Earth’s shadow. As it covers nearly the entire lunar surface, the moon will still take on a dramatic copper-red or deep orange “Blood Moon” hue.
Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse in US: Date
The eclipse will take place during the full Sturgeon Moon on the night of Thursday, August 27, into the early morning of Friday, August 28, 2026. The exact peak times depend entirely on the local U.S. time zone.
Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse in US: Time
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Eastern (EDT): August 28 at 12:12 AM
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Central (CDT): August 27 at 11:12 PM
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Mountain (MDT): August 27 at 10:12 PM
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Pacific (PDT): August 27 at 9:12 PM
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Alaska (AKDT): August 27 at 8:12 PM
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Hawaii (HDT): August 27 at 6:12 PM (Moon rises already eclipsed)
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Partial Eclipse Begins: August 27 at 10:34 PM (Shadow starts crossing)
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Greatest Eclipse (Peak Redness): August 28 at 12:12 AM (96% covered)
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Partial Eclipse Ends: August 28 at 1:50 AM (Moon leaves the dark shadow)
Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse in US: Visibility
The deep partial lunar eclipse on August 27–28, 2026, will be 100% visible from every state in the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. Because 96% of the moon enters Earth’s dark shadow, the entire country will see the moon turn a distinct copper-red “Blood Moon” color.
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Eastern & Central US: Perfect, front-row viewing. The entire eclipse takes place high in the southern sky late at night.
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Mountain & Pacific US: Excellent viewing. The eclipse will already be underway as twilight ends, peaking mid-evening.
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Alaska: Good viewing. The moon will rise in the southeast just as the partial eclipse begins.
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Hawaii: Unique viewing. The moon will rise in the east already deeply eclipsed and red, right around sunset.
Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse in US: Best Places to Watch
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Cherry Springs State Park
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Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
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Joshua Tree National Park
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The Outer Banks (North Carolina)
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Cape Cod National Seashore (Massachusetts)
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Malibu & Point Reyes (California)
Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse in US: How to Watch Safely
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No Eclipse Glasses Needed: You do not need to wear plastic solar eclipse glasses or use special filters.
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Safe for All Optical Gear: You can look directly at the moon through binoculars, telescopes, or camera viewfinders without any risk of eye damage.
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100% Safe for Children: The event is entirely safe for children to watch continuously with the naked eye.
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Let Your Eyes Adapt: Step away from bright streetlights, porch lights, and your smartphone screen for about 15 minutes before the peak. This allows your night vision to adjust, making the deep copper-red color look much brighter.
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Bring Binoculars: Any standard pair of sports or bird-watching binoculars will work beautifully. They will help you see the sharp, curved edge of Earth’s shadow moving across individual lunar craters.
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Use a Tripod for Photography: If you are planning to take photos with a camera or smartphone, use a tripod or prop your phone against a solid surface. As the moon darkens into its red phase, your camera will need longer exposure times, and any shaking will blur the image.
Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse in US: Why 96% Still Looks Like a “Blood Moon”
During a standard partial lunar eclipse, the part of the moon outside the shadow remains blazing white, making it hard to see any color changes with the naked eye.
However, this event reaches 96.3% magnitude. As such a tiny fraction of the moon remains outside Earth’s dark inner shadow (the umbra), the blinding glare will be completely gone. This allows the deep copper-red color on the rest of the lunar surface to stand out vividly to the naked eye, mimicking a true total eclipse.
