Live Lunar Eclipse Utility · USA Time Zones
Fast answer-first page for the next major US lunar eclipse window. Use this to know exactly when partial eclipse begins, when peak happens, and when the event ends in your time zone.
Aug 27-28
US Date Window
12:14 AM ET
Greatest Eclipse
3h 18m
Partial Duration
All 50
US States Visible
No lunar eclipse is happening tonight. The August 27-28, 2026 eclipse window has passed. Keep this page bookmarked; we update it with the next US eclipse timing cycle.
For the August 2026 event: partial eclipse begins at 10:35 PM ET, greatest eclipse at 12:14 AM ET, and partial ends at 1:53 AM ET.
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These are the key partial eclipse stage times most people search for when they ask "what time is the lunar eclipse tonight".
| Time Zone | Partial Begins (U1) | Greatest Eclipse | Partial Ends (U4) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern (ET) | 10:35 PM (Aug 27) | 12:14 AM (Aug 28) | 1:53 AM (Aug 28) |
| Central (CT) | 9:35 PM (Aug 27) | 11:14 PM (Aug 27) | 12:53 AM (Aug 28) |
| Mountain (MT) | 8:35 PM (Aug 27) | 10:14 PM (Aug 27) | 11:53 PM (Aug 27) |
| Pacific (PT) | 7:35 PM (Aug 27) | 9:14 PM (Aug 27) | 10:53 PM (Aug 27) |
Reference: NASA GSFC eclipse timing converted to US time zones. Values shown to the nearest minute for practical field use.
If you are checking quickly from your phone before heading outside, use your nearest city row.
New York, Boston, Miami (ET)
U1: 10:35 PM, Peak: 12:14 AM, U4: 1:53 AM
Chicago, Dallas, Houston (CT)
U1: 9:35 PM, Peak: 11:14 PM, U4: 12:53 AM
Denver, Salt Lake City (MT)
U1: 8:35 PM, Peak: 10:14 PM, U4: 11:53 PM
Los Angeles, Seattle, Phoenix (PT)
U1: 7:35 PM, Peak: 9:14 PM, U4: 10:53 PM
Arrive about 20 minutes before your local U1 time. The most dramatic interval is from ~20 minutes before peak through ~20 minutes after peak, when the umbral darkening and red-orange color contrast are strongest.
Simple plan that works
Expect a dark curved "bite" to grow across the Moon, followed by deep shadowing and warm copper tones near maximum. This August 2026 event is a deep partial eclipse (umbral magnitude 0.930), so one limb remains brighter while most of the disk dims strongly.
A lunar eclipse does not require solar filters. The best setup is whichever lets you observe comfortably for at least one hour.
The easiest high-impact choice for eclipse night. You get strong shadow-edge detail, wide framing, and almost zero setup friction.
Great if you want higher magnification crater detail during peak shadow contrast and easy phone-assisted target finding.
No. Lunar eclipses are safe to watch with naked eyes, binoculars, and telescopes.
Greatest eclipse in your local time zone. That is when shadow depth and color contrast are strongest.
Use our complete event guide: Lunar Eclipse 2026 Telescope Guide.
Lunar Eclipse 2026: Full Viewing Guide
Complete stage-by-stage breakdown and city-level visibility notes.
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Total Solar Eclipse August 2026
Safety, filters, and path planning for the August total eclipse.
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Quick yes/no decision page for tonight's meteor shower value.
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Aurora probability workflow with timing and cloud checks.
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