Lunar eclipse 2026: When and where to watch the sky spectacle in the UK this week

Lunar eclipse 2026: When and where to watch the sky spectacle in the UK this week The event, also known as 'blood moon' due to the Moon's copper colour, comes just two weeks after a spectacular solar eclipse that was visible across the UK Yet another celestial spectacle is set to be visible from the UK in just days, with experts revealing the best place and time to view it. A deep partial lunar eclipse will be visible from the UK and Ireland towards the end of this week. The Moon will turn a copper colour during the event, which is also referred to as a "blood moon" as a result. This comes just over two weeks after the UK experienced a near-total solar eclipse, with up to almost 97 per cent of the Sun covered in parts of Cornwall. This week's lunar eclipse is no coincidence, however, as a solar eclipse always takes place within two weeks of a lunar eclipse, either before or after it. The celestial event will see around 93 per cent of the Moon in the darkest part of the Earth's shadow - also known as umbra - during the eclipse's maximum. The Earth will move between the Sun and the Moon, with the Moon lying in the Earth's shadow. This week will bring a partial lunar eclipse, with nowhere in the world witnessing a total one this time round. Royal Museums Greenwich explained: "During a partial lunar eclipse, the portion of the Moon within Earth's umbra (deep shadow) may appear reddish or copper-coloured. This is because sunlight passing through Earth's atmosphere is scattered and refracted towards the Moon." Apart from the UK, other parts of Europe, North and South America and Africa will also witness the event. This will take place in the early hours of August 28 in the UK and Ireland, while people in other time zones will see it in the late hours of August 27. While the sun coverage during the recent solar eclipse generally varied between 90 and 97 per cent across the UK, the whole of the British Isles will see the same percentage of the Moon in shadow. The lunar eclipse will also spare people the last-minute panic of trying to get hold of special glasses, as the event is as safe to watch with the naked eye as it is to look at the moon on any given night. You will have to stay up quite late, however, to view the eclipse at its best, but due to the high coverage, the event is well worth waiting for. At 2.23am, the penumbral part of the lunar eclipse will start, meaning the Moon will move into the lighter part of the Earth's shadow, called the penumbra. While subtle at the beginning, the darkening of the Moon will intensify as the natural satellite moves deeper into the penumbra. Royal Museum Greenwich states that the partial phase of the lunar eclipse is then due at 3.33am, when the Moon will start moving into the Earth's umbra. The maximum of the eclipse will be at 5.12am, when 93 per cent of the Moon's visible surface will be in the darkest part of the shadow. While the eclipse will officially end at 6.51am, the Moon will have already set below the horizon by then. This will take place at around 6.15am in London, with timings varying slightly across the British Isles. Below are all the timings you need to look out for, as provided by Royal Museum Greenwich: - Penumbral lunar eclipse starts - 2.23am - Partial lunar eclipse starts - 3.33am - Partial lunar eclipse maximum - 5.12am - End of visible eclipse - 6.15am in London - Partial eclipse ends - 6.51am