I’ll admit it: when I started researching this post, all I really wanted to know was what time I’d have to get up on August 28. What I ended up with was a small journey through the taxonomy of lunar eclipses — and the realization that the real highlight is still ahead of us. But let’s take it step by step.
The hook: August 28, 2026
In the early morning hours of August 28, 2026, the Earth slides between the Sun and the Moon, and the full Moon travels into its umbra (core shadow). Based on my research, here’s how the event unfolds over Germany (all times CEST):
- 04:33 – The Moon enters the outer penumbra (barely noticeable).
- 04:34 – The actual partial phase begins; the umbra starts to bite into the Moon’s edge.
- 06:13 – Maximum: roughly 93 to 94 percent of the Moon’s diameter lies within the umbra. Only a thin bright rim remains, and the rest may glow a coppery red.
- from approx. 06:20 – The Moon is already setting in many places.
- 07:52 – Calculated end of the eclipse — but by then it’s long below the horizon in Germany.
At 93 percent, this is an exceptionally “deep” partial eclipse — just short of a total one, but very close.
Why it’s still rather unfavorable
As impressive as that number sounds, my disillusionment came when I looked at the observing conditions. Several factors work against us:
- The Moon sits low. By maximum it has already drifted far toward the horizon. Low-lying objects are harder to see through the denser layer of air.
- It sets mid-event. In Germany, only the first half of the eclipse is visible — shortly after maximum, the Moon disappears.
- Dawn interferes. It’s already early morning; the growing daylight washes out an already faint sight.
My tip from the research: if you want to try, pick a spot in western Germany with a clear view to the southwest — there the Moon sets later and stays visible longest. Binoculars help. Unlike a solar eclipse, you explicitly do not need protective glasses.
What I learned about the “quality” of a lunar eclipse
During my research I hit a question that gripped me more than the date itself: how do you actually categorize how “good” a lunar eclipse is? There’s even an official metric for it — the eclipse magnitude: the fraction of the Moon’s diameter that lies in shadow. At a value of 1.0 or more, the Moon is fully within the umbra — meaning total.
Broadly, there are three basic forms, which I’ve sorted here from unremarkable to spectacular:
| Category | What happens | Visibility | “Quality” |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penumbral eclipse | Moon only in the outer penumbra, umbra untouched | Very subtle, often barely visible to the naked eye | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Small partial eclipse | A small part enters the umbra (approx. 10–40%) | Noticeable dark “dent” on the edge | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Large partial eclipse | A large part in the umbra (approx. 70–99%), but not all | Very striking, sometimes a reddish rim — Aug 28, 2026 belongs here | ★★★★☆ |
| Total eclipse (“Blood Moon”) | Moon fully within the umbra | Reddish-copper coloring across the entire Moon | ★★★★★ |
But the raw shadow depth is only half the truth. What counts in the end is the experienced quality on site, and that depends on further factors:
- Altitude above the horizon – A Blood Moon high in a dark sky beats any low-hanging one.
- Visible portion of the sequence – If the Moon rises or sets mid-event (as on Aug 28, 2026), you only see part of it.
- Duration of totality – From a few minutes to over an hour, depending on how centrally the Moon passes through the umbra.
- Color and brightness – described via the Danjon scale (L=0 very dark to L=4 bright orange). After major volcanic eruptions, a Blood Moon can turn almost black.
In short: the quality of an eclipse is the combination of objective shadow depth and the observing conditions. And this is exactly where it becomes clear why August 28, though strong on paper, is rather mediocre in practice.
The coming years — a quick overview
Anyone waiting for the next big moment after August 28, 2026 will need real patience. And here’s the fact that surprised me most while going through the eclipse calendars: there is not a single total lunar eclipse anywhere in the world until New Year’s Eve 2028 — roughly two and a half years of Blood Moon drought.
Here’s what’s coming in the meantime for Germany (umbral coverage of the Moon’s diameter per timeanddate.de):
| Date | Type | Coverage / Magnitude | In Germany |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 28, 2026 | Partial | 93% (mag. 0.93) | Only first half, low & in dawn (★★★★☆) |
| Feb 20–21, 2027 | Penumbral | – (mag. 0.93 penumbral) | Practically invisible (★) |
| Jul 18–19, 2027 | “Near-eclipse” | narrowly missed | Only minimal penumbra (★) |
| Aug 16–17, 2027 | Penumbral | – | Practically invisible (★) |
| Jan 11–12, 2028 | Partial | ~7% | Small, but visible (★★) |
| Jul 6–7, 2028 | Partial | ~39% | Low in the summer sky (★★) |
| Dec 31, 2028 | Total | 100% (mag. 1.246) | Fully visible, New Year’s evening (★★★★★) |
| Jun 25–26, 2029 | Total | 100% (mag. 1.843) | Total, but short bright summer night (★★★★☆) |
As you can see: 2027 brings only penumbral and near-eclipses, 2028 at first two shallow partials. The frustration of the drought makes the two total eclipses at the end all the more valuable — and one of them ushers in the real climax.
The New Year’s Blood Moon: December 31, 2028
The first big moment arrives, quite literally, at the turn of the year. On December 31, 2028, there’s a total lunar eclipse that is fully visible from Germany. My researched times for Berlin (CET):
- 15:48 – Moonrise, already in the penumbra.
- 16:07 – Partial phase begins, Moon still low in the northeast.
- 17:16 – Totality begins, the whole Moon turns red.
- 17:52 – Maximum (magnitude 1.246, 100% coverage).
- 18:27 – End of totality.
- 19:36 – End of the partial phase.
So totality lasts a good 1 hour and 11 minutes — on the early evening of New Year’s Eve, while the Moon is already climbing higher. A Blood Moon at the turn of the year — that has a certain appeal. The one drawback: the Moon rises already eclipsed and sits very low at first, so you need a clear view to the northeast.
The goal: December 20, 2029
And then comes the moment I’ve genuinely been looking forward to since this research: the total lunar eclipse on December 20, 2029. Based on everything I’ve gathered, this is practically the best date of the decade for Germany.
Why this one in particular? Because almost everything that makes an eclipse “valuable” comes together here. My researched key data (CET):
- 20:55 – Partial phase begins.
- 23:15 – Totality begins.
- 23:42 – Maximum (magnitude 1.117, 100% coverage).
- 00:09 – End of totality.
- 01:29 – End of the partial phase.
And this is what makes the date so special:
- It’s a true total — the full Blood Moon, top category (★★★★★), with roughly 54 minutes of totality.
- It’s observable from Germany in its full length — no half-measure with the Moon setting mid-event.
- The maximum falls just before midnight — a civilized hour that requires no one to get up at four in the morning.
- And it falls on a December night — long darkness, a high-riding winter full Moon, ideal conditions.
For comparison: June 26, 2029 is also total and, at 1 hour 42 minutes, even has the longest totality — but its maximum falls at 05:22 CEST in the short, already-brightening summer night, with the Moon sitting low. And 2030 only brings a partial eclipse (June 15) and a barely visible penumbral one (December 9). The real highlight for observers in Germany is therefore the night of December 20–21, 2029 — and August 28, 2026 is the lovely, if very early-morning, prelude to it.
As for me, I’ve already marked all three dates in red on my calendar. The first costs me some sleep, the second sweetens New Year’s Eve, and the third gives me a winter evening beneath a Blood Moon. I already know which one is most worth it.
Clear skies from your Astrocamp.
All eclipse data based on calculations by timeanddate.de. Times for Germany (Berlin) or location-independent phases in CET/CEST; depending on your location they may differ by a few minutes.
