A very deep partial lunar eclipse will be visible over Georgia on the night of Thursday, August 27, into early Friday, August 28, 2026.

This is an unusually impressive partial eclipse. At maximum, about 96% of the Moon’s disk will be inside Earth’s dark central shadow, known as the umbra. It won’t technically be a total lunar eclipse, but visually it may come close to resembling one, with much of the Moon potentially taking on a coppery-red or reddish-orange color.

All of Georgia will be in an excellent position to see the eclipse, weather permitting. Unlike some eclipses that occur near moonrise or moonset, the Moon will be well up in the sky during the best part of this event.

Around maximum at 12:12 a.m. Eastern Time Friday, the Moon will be roughly 40 to 42 degrees above the southern horizon across much of Georgia, including areas such as Atlanta, Rome and Athens. That means you won’t need a perfectly unobstructed horizon — just a reasonably open view of the sky.

If you don’t want to stay up for the entire event, the key viewing window will be from about 11:15 p.m. Thursday until 12:45 a.m. Friday. The most dramatic appearance should occur around the maximum at 12:12 a.m.

And the good news: no special glasses are needed for a lunar eclipse. It is completely safe to watch with the naked eye. Binoculars or a telescope can make the changing colors and the edge of Earth’s shadow even more impressive.