Near-total lunar eclipse to darken 96.2% of moons surface late Thursday across Americas, Europe

A near-total partial lunar eclipse will darken the moon late Thursday into early Friday, with Earth’s shadow covering up to 96.2% of the lunar surface at its peak, according to NASA and astronomical observers.

The eclipse begins at 9:23 p.m. ET on Thursday as the moon enters Earth’s outer shadow, with the partial phase starting at 10:33 p.m. ET. The maximum obscuration occurs at 12:12 a.m. ET on Friday, when 96.2% of the moon’s diameter lies in Earth’s umbra, creating a deep reddish or coppery hue as sunlight filters through Earth’s atmosphere. The event concludes at 3:01 a.m. ET as the moon exits Earth’s shadow .

Viewers across North and South America will have the best conditions, with the entire eclipse visible from most of the continental U.S., Mexico, and parts of South America. Peak times vary by location: New York at 12:14 a.m., Chicago at 11:14 p.m., Los Angeles at 9:14 p.m., and Buenos Aires at 1:14 a.m. local time .

In Europe, the eclipse will be partially visible but constrained by dawn and the moon’s low position. In London, the peak occurs at 5:12 a.m., while in Spain, the breaking day and low altitude will make observation difficult. German regions face additional challenges: in North Rhine-Westphalia, thick cloud cover and potential rain are expected, according to the German Weather Service, while in Rhineland-Palatinate, the moon will set shortly after the 6:13 a.m. peak .

Unlike solar eclipses, no eye protection is required. Nicole Sehrig of Bochum Observatory and Carolin Liefke of the Association of Star Friends noted that the event is safely visible to the naked eye, though binoculars or telescopes can enhance the view. Observers should seek locations with unobstructed western horizons, such as open fields or elevated vantage points, to maximize visibility before moonset .

The eclipse coincides with August’s full moon, traditionally known as the Sturgeon Moon in North American folklore, a name tied to the historical fishing season for sturgeon in the Great Lakes region. In Romania, the full moon phase and partial eclipse overlap, though the most spectacular phase will occur near moonset .

This lunar eclipse follows the Aug. 12 total solar eclipse that darkened skies over parts of southern Europe, Greenland, Iceland, and northern Russia. Solar and lunar eclipses often occur in pairs due to the alignment of the sun, Earth, and moon .