Shortly after the solar eclipse of August 12, 2026, total in part of Europe and partial in North America, the Moon will offer another celestial spectacle on the night of August 27–28, 2026, with a partial lunar eclipse visible in Québec.
The eclipse will last from 9:23 p.m. EDT on August 27 to 3:01 a.m. on August 28, as the Moon passes through Earth’s shadow.
This time, the eclipse will be partial, since the Moon will not pass completely into Earth’s umbra. About 7% of the lunar surface will remain in the penumbra. The show will still be well worth watching, and the views should be spectacular.
Circumstances of the partial lunar eclipse
The partial lunar eclipse of August 27–28, 2026, will be visible across all of North, Central, and South America.
In Montréal, the key viewing times are as follows (EDT):
- 9:23 p.m.: the eclipse begins, as the Moon enters Earth’s penumbra
- 10:33 p.m.: the partial phase begins, as the Moon enters Earth’s umbra
- 12:12 a.m.: maximum eclipse (the Moon at its deepest point in Earth’s shadow), with 93% of the Moon’s diameter covered by Earth’s umbra
- 1:51 a.m.: the partial phase ends, as the Moon begins to leave Earth’s umbra
- 3:01 a.m.: the eclipse ends
This will be the last lunar eclipse visible from Quebec in 2026. The next total lunar eclipse will take place on the night of June 25–26, 2029, while the next partial lunar eclipse will occur on the night of January 11–12, 2028.
Photographing the eclipse with a film camera or DSLR
Watching a lunar eclipse with the naked eye or through binoculars is completely safe. Because the phenomenon unfolds slowly, it is also easy and enjoyable to photograph!
Here are a few tips for capturing the lunar eclipse:
- Set your camera to ISO 400 and an aperture of f/8.
- Use the strongest zoom available. A focal length between 300 and 500 mm is ideal.
- During the partial phases, try shutter speeds between 1/500 and 1/60 of a second.
- As the eclipse approaches its maximum, try exposure times between 1 and 15 seconds. A tripod is recommended for slower shutter speeds.
Don’t be afraid to experiment! With digital cameras, you can check the result right away and adjust your settings as needed.
Photographing the lunar eclipse with a smartphone
You do not need a tripod to photograph a lunar eclipse with a smartphone. Simply switch to video mode and zoom in as much as possible. By lowering the focus and exposure to a minimum, the Moon’s craters and maria will stand out more clearly. You can then start recording and take photos at the same time.