Mount Sinai NY
8-25-2026 8:38am

Rare Deep Lunar Eclipse Coming Thursday Night: Long Islanders Could See Nearly the Entire Moon Disappear Into Earth’s Shadow

LONG ISLAND, N.Y. — Long Islanders may want to look up Thursday night, as one of the most dramatic lunar eclipses in years is set to unfold over New York.

During the night of Thursday, August 27, into early Friday, August 28, the full moon will pass deep into Earth’s shadow during an unusually deep partial lunar eclipse.

At the height of the eclipse, roughly 96% of the moon will be inside Earth’s dark central shadow, known as the umbra, making the event appear remarkably close to a total lunar eclipse.

For viewers in the New York area, the celestial show begins Thursday evening and continues well past midnight.

When to Watch on Long Island

The eclipse will unfold over several hours:

  • 9:23 p.m. Thursday: Penumbral eclipse begins. The moon will initially begin dimming very subtly.
  • 10:33 p.m.: The partial lunar eclipse begins as Earth’s darker shadow starts moving across the moon.
  • 12:12 a.m. Friday: Maximum eclipse. This is the moment Long Islanders will want to be outside, with nearly the entire moon immersed in Earth’s shadow.
  • 1:52 a.m.: The partial phase ends.
  • 3:01 a.m.: The eclipse concludes completely.

The most dramatic viewing will occur around midnight, particularly as the eclipse approaches its maximum.

An ‘Almost Blood Moon’

Although Thursday night’s event is technically a partial eclipse rather than a total lunar eclipse, it could look remarkably similar to a “blood moon.”

As Earth’s shadow covers nearly the entire lunar surface, much of the moon may take on shades of red, copper, rust and orange, leaving only a small portion brightly illuminated.

That reddish appearance happens because some sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere before reaching the moon. Earth’s atmosphere filters and bends the light, allowing more red and orange wavelengths to reach the lunar surface.

With approximately 96% of the moon entering Earth’s umbra, the effect could be particularly striking.

Long Island Has a Front-Row Seat

North America is among the regions well positioned to see Thursday night’s eclipse, and New Yorkers should be able to watch the event from beginning to end, provided the weather cooperates.

Unlike a solar eclipse, no special glasses or eye protection are needed to watch a lunar eclipse.

The eclipse can safely be viewed with the naked eye.

Binoculars or a telescope aren’t necessary, but they may make the changing colors and details across the lunar surface even more impressive.

Long Islanders hoping for the best view should find an area with a relatively unobstructed view of the sky and, when possible, move away from bright streetlights and other sources of light pollution.

Don’t Forget Your Camera

Thursday night could also provide Long Island photographers with an opportunity for some spectacular moon photographs.

A smartphone may capture the eclipse, but photographers using cameras with telephoto lenses and tripods will have a better chance of capturing the moon’s changing colors and Earth’s shadow moving across its surface.

And if you photograph Thursday night’s eclipse from anywhere on Long Island, Long Island Daily News would love to see your pictures.

Readers can submit their eclipse photographs, along with their name and the Long Island community where the photo was taken, to:

LongIslandDailyNews@outlook.com

or

editorlongislanddailynews@hotmail.com

Selected photographs may be featured by Long Island Daily News.

A Celestial Show Worth Staying Up For

Thursday night’s eclipse won’t technically be a total lunar eclipse, but with Earth’s shadow swallowing nearly the entire moon, the difference may be difficult to notice at first glance.

For Long Islanders willing to stay awake until shortly after midnight, the reward could be one of the most memorable sights in the night sky this year.

So set a reminder, step outside Thursday night and look up.

Maximum eclipse: approximately 12:12 a.m. Friday, August 28.

And, as always with astronomy on Long Island, there’s one factor nobody can control:

**The clouds.**The timing is supported by current eclipse data: the penumbral phase begins at about 9:23 p.m. EDT, the partial phase at 10:33 p.m., maximum occurs at about 12:12 a.m., and the eclipse ends around 3:01 a.m. ⁠ The eclipse reaches about 96% globally and is being described as the deepest partial lunar eclipse until late 2028. ⁠- AP News⁠

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