Near-total lunar eclipse darkens most of the Moon, visible across the United States
A partial lunar eclipse on Friday covered about 96% of the Moon’s surface, turning most of it a reddish hue and was observable from most of the U.S. and parts of other continents.
A near-total lunar eclipse swept across the night sky early Friday, with Earth's shadow obscuring roughly 96% of the Moon at its peak, just short of a total eclipse. The event left most of the lunar disk appearing dark red or copper, while a small bright segment remained visible. The reddish tint results from sunlight filtering through Earth's atmosphere, which scatters blue light and allows more red and orange wavelengths to reach the Moon.
The partial phase lasted over three hours, and the entire eclipse—from the Moon’s first contact with the faint outer edge of Earth's shadow to its exit—spanned about five and a half hours. The Americas enjoyed the best viewing conditions, with additional visibility in parts of Europe, Africa and the Middle East before moonset.
Friday’s eclipse followed a total lunar eclipse in March and came two weeks after a total solar eclipse that crossed Greenland, Iceland and Spain. The next total lunar eclipse is projected for New Year’s Eve 2028, primarily visible from Asia and Australia, while the next one observable across North and South America is expected in 2029.