Total lunar eclipse — Americas
On 26 June 2029 the Moon is due to pass almost through the centre of Earth's shadow in a total lunar eclipse. Totality lasts a long 1 hour 42 minutes, and the eclipse is well placed for the Americas, with the deepest point at 11:22 p.m. on 25 June in New York.
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The story
The total lunar eclipse of 26 June 2029 is due to be a long one, with 1 hour 42 minutes of totality. That is because the Moon passes almost through the middle of Earth's dark shadow. Of all total lunar eclipses in the 21st century, only one is longer: that of 27 July 2018, at 1 hour 42 minutes 57 seconds. The deepest point comes at 03:22 Universal Time, which is 11:22 p.m. on 25 June in New York.
An eclipse that crosses the middle of the shadow looks especially dark and red. Scientists expect this to be among the darkest total lunar eclipses of the 21st century. While the Moon sits in deep red for a long time, the sky around it darkens too. On that night the Moon is in Sagittarius, so from places with little artificial light the summer Milky Way may be visible near the red Moon.
The whole of totality can be seen from eastern North America, South America and West Africa. In New York the eclipse happens low in the south-eastern sky, while in São Paulo and Buenos Aires it happens high overhead. In western Europe part of it can be seen low in the west around dawn, before the Moon sets. In East Asia and Australia it is daytime, so it cannot be seen there.
A lunar eclipse is seen at the same moment by the whole night side of Earth, so where you live decides whether you can see it. Set the sky view to New York and move the time to that night, and the Moon's passage into the shadow is reproduced. Switch the location to Rio de Janeiro or Lisbon to compare how the Moon's height and the local time change from place to place.
Viewing guide — timing and direction
Totality runs from 02:31 to 04:13 Universal Time. In New York that is 10:31 p.m. on 25 June to 12:13 a.m. on 26 June, with the Moon low in the south-eastern sky at around 20 degrees. In São Paulo it runs from 11:31 p.m. to 1:13 a.m., and in Lisbon from 3:31 to 5:13 a.m., low in the western sky. In London the Moon sets while totality is still under way.
A lunar eclipse is safe to watch with the naked eye. Through binoculars a dark eclipse like this one shows layers of colour: blacker towards the middle of the shadow and a brighter copper towards its edge. To photograph it you will need a tripod and exposures of a few seconds during totality. With such a long totality there is time to try several different compositions.
Replay the date in the orbit view and the Moon is reproduced passing through the middle of the shadow behind Earth, seen from out in space. In the sky view you can enter any latitude and longitude as your location, and see what time the Moon is up and how high it stands from that place. Enter a place where the eclipse falls in daytime, such as Tokyo or Sydney, and the Moon is shown below the horizon.
See this for yourself — open that sky at that moment · replay the moment in the orbit view
Why this lunar eclipse is worth it
The length of totality depends on which part of the shadow the Moon crosses. Crossing the middle means crossing the widest part of the shadow, so the Moon stays immersed for a long time; grazing the edge means totality is over in minutes. The longest a total lunar eclipse can last in theory is about 1 hour 47 minutes, so 1 hour 42 minutes comes quite close to that limit.
A long totality gives scientists plenty of observing time. While sunlight is cut off, the Moon's surface keeps cooling, and a longer totality means that cooling can be measured for longer. Recording how the brightness varies inside the shadow also shows how clear Earth's air was at the time. The darker the eclipse, the more clearly these differences stand out.
2029 is a busy year in the sky. On 13 April the asteroid Apophis passes about 32,000 km from Earth's surface, closer than the height at which some satellites orbit. This long eclipse follows two months later, and on 20 December there is another total lunar eclipse.
Background
This eclipse belongs to Saros 130, one of the families of lunar eclipses. A saros is the cycle of about 18 years and 11 days after which the Sun, Earth and Moon return to almost the same arrangement. The previous member of this family, on 15 June 2011, gave Africa and Asia about 100 minutes of totality, and the next will come on 7 July 2047. The 2029 eclipse has the longest totality of any eclipse in this family.
Another total lunar eclipse follows on 20 December the same year, so 2029 has two. The December eclipse is well placed for Europe, Africa and western Asia, and the Americas see it as the Moon rises. In East Asia it happens around moonset on the morning of 21 December, so it is hard to see there.
The longest totalities happen when the Moon crosses the exact middle of the shadow. The eclipse of 16 July 2000 lasted 1 hour 46 minutes, close to the theoretical limit. So far in the 21st century, the longest was on 27 July 2018, at 1 hour 42 minutes 57 seconds. The June 2029 eclipse falls about 17 seconds short of that, which makes it the second-longest total lunar eclipse of the century.
FAQ
How long is totality?
About 1 hour 42 minutes 40 seconds, because the Moon passes almost through the middle of Earth's shadow. It is the second-longest total lunar eclipse of the 21st century.
What time is it in New York?
Totality runs from 10:31 p.m. on 25 June to 12:13 a.m. on 26 June, with the deepest point at 11:22 p.m. The Moon will be low in the south-east, so choose a spot with a clear view that way.
Can it be seen everywhere?
No. In East Asia and Australia the eclipse happens around midday, when the Moon is below the horizon. Setting the sky view to New York reproduces the night-time view instead.
Why is this eclipse especially dark?
Because the Moon crosses the middle of the shadow and stays in its deepest part for a long time. It is expected to look much darker and redder than an eclipse that grazes the shadow's edge.
Related
- The 2028 New Year blood moon
- The 2032 total lunar eclipse over East Asia and Australia
- The 2029 Apophis flyby
- The Moon — object index
- Earth — object index
Times and figures are approximate — verify with official sources when planning travel. Simulation uses J2000 mean elements.