Blood Moon partial eclipse: Why the moon is turning red and how you can see it
Stargazing enthusiasts will get the chance to see another rare astronomical event just days after the partial solar eclipse of August 12
Just days after one of most spectacular partial solar eclipses of the last 30 years on August 12, skywatchers are in for another rare astronomical treat with a Blood Moon about to happen.
Taking place across August 27 and 28 2026, the Blood Moon lunar eclipse will see Earth pass between the Moon and the Sun. This movement will cast Earth's shadow onto the Moon's surface.
The alignment of the Sun, Earth and Moon in the night sky causes the full Moon, also known as the Sturgeon Moon, to glow red.
The Moon will appear bigger than usual at this time due to a phenomenon known as the Moon illusion. But why does this cause the moon to become red in colour?
We take a look at why the moon turns red during a Blood Moon, and how to watch the rare event from wherever you are in the country.
Why does the moon turn red during a Blood Moon?
During a lunar eclipse, the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon and the Moon sits temporarily in the Earth's shadow.
When a partial eclipse occurs, not all of the Moon enters the shadow - only part of it passes into the darkest, innermost core of the the shadow, known as the umbra.
This means the Moon isn't completely cut off from sunlight, and sunlight passing through the Earth's atmosphere becomes scattered.
There are some shorter, blue wavelengths that scatter easily, but there's actually more of the longer wavelength red lights at this time.
As they reach the Moon, the longer red wavelengths are reflected back towards Earth, and the eclipsed Moon glows and appears red and coppery.
How to see the Blood Moon in the UK
The best place to see the Blood Moon will be in the South West of the UK. This is because the Moon illusion will cause the Moon to appear very low in the sky, and the eclipse could look more dramatic.
However, it can still be seen from around the UK and will take place in the early hours of Friday, starting at around 02:23 BST. At this time, the Moon moves into the the more faint, outer part of the Earth's shadow, known as the penumbra.
At 03:33, the main phase of the partial eclipse will take place when the Moon begins to enter the umbra, or the darkest part of the Earth's shadow.
Approximately 93% of the Moon will be concealed by the umbra at 05:12, and the partial eclipse ends at 06:51. The ending won't be visible to potential viewers because the Moon will have set below the horizon by this time.
The precise moonset times will vary across the UK, and anyone wanting to see the Blood Moon will need to find out the specific time for where they live.
The good news is that unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse is safe to watch directly and no specialist eye protection is needed to look at it.
The bad news is that the weather might put a dampener on the event. According to the Met Office, at the start of the eclipse cloud is forecast across Cornwall and Devon, Wales, the Midlands, parts of northwest England, and most of Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Southern and eastern England are expected to be free from cloud from around 2am, but could clouds could increase as the night progresses and the eclipse reaches its maximum.
Therefore, it's difficult to pinpoint any one area that might offer ideal viewing conditions throughout the event and skywatchers are asked to to check their latest local forecast before setting out to see the Blood Moon.
