If you enjoy watching the night sky, you have another celestial event to look forward to this month. A partial lunar eclipse will take place on August 27-28, 2026, according to NASA. The event occurs when the Moon passes partially through Earth's shadow. NASA lists the eclipse as visible across the Americas, Europe and Africa.
Unlike a solar eclipse, you can safely watch a lunar eclipse with your eyes. You only need a clear view of the Moon and a location away from heavy cloud cover.
According to NASA, the greatest eclipse is at 4:14 a.m. UTC on August 28. That translates to about 12:14 a.m. EDT, 11:14 p.m. CDT on August 27, 10:14 p.m. MDT on August 27 and 9:14 p.m. PDT on August 27. The exact viewing window will depend on where you live and whether the Moon sits above your horizon at the time.
NASA describes this as a partial lunar eclipse because only part of the Moon will enter Earth's darker inner shadow, known as the umbra. You may notice the shadow slowly covering part of the lunar surface before it recedes.
NASA's latest August skywatching guide also highlights this eclipse alongside other major events in the night sky, making the end of the month an active period for skywatchers.
Astronomy explains what happens between the Sun, Earth and Moon. Astrology gives the eclipse a symbolic meaning based on planetary positions and zodiac signs.
Astrologers links this Lunar Eclipse with the Virgo-Pisces axis, placing themes such as work, routines, rest, emotional reflection and personal boundaries in focus.
Astrologers say this eclipse may make this period a useful time to look at areas of life that no longer feel balanced. The astrologer describes the eclipse as a period of emotional culmination following the August 12 solar eclipse.
Instead of making quick choices, you can use the period to pause and reflect on what has changed recently.
If you follow spiritual practices, you can use the eclipse as a quiet moment for reflection. The astrologer recommends journaling, meditation, intentional rest and decluttering.
You can start by writing down what you want to release. You can also tidy your workspace or finish small tasks that keep popping into your mind.
Soumi Pyne is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with four years of work experience. She started her career as a digital journalist with HT after completing her master's in media and communication from NSHM Kolkata. She covers topics in astrology, manifesting, and tarot readings, and also interviews astrologers to share their stories. In 2022, she interviewed the young indigo pilot who had saved Indian students from Ukraine. She has also covered stories about the Dhoomimal Art Gallery and a few lifestyle stories. She is now a fervent reader of astrology, but before working full-time on the Astrology beat, she coordinated and published think tank stories in the HT insight section. Additionally, produced Live Mint and HT newsletters, during which she had the scope to publish news articles by HT's editor-in-chief, Sukumar Ranganathan. She puts in her best effort to make her readers justify the statement "Astrology is a pseudoscience". While she believes that Astrology is not intertwined with Science, she aims to help her readers understand that the human body can be influenced by planetary alignments, drawing on insights from Indian and USA astrologers. Outside her professional sphere, she enjoys a healthy lifestyle through yoga, journaling, meditation, running, and cooking gluten-free meals. She is an avid documentary enthusiast who loves watching BBC, Discovery, and other channels, with a focus on ancient history, space, art, and culture. Also, you'll often find her taking her pooch to new cafes and often taking short trips with her girls or her family to offbeat places.Read More
