What Time to See the 96% “Blood Moon” in Colombia
A deep partial lunar eclipse will cross the sky over Colombia on the night of Thursday, Aug. 27, into the early hours of Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. At its peak, about 96% of the Moon’s disk will lie inside Earth’s darkest shadow, giving most of the Moon a reddish or copper tone.
The event will be visible across Colombia, weather permitting. Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse can be viewed safely with the naked eye. Binoculars or a telescope can reveal more detail, but neither is required.
What time is the lunar eclipse in Colombia?
For viewers in Colombia, the eclipse begins with the Moon entering Earth’s lighter penumbral shadow at about 8:23 p.m. local time on Aug. 27. The change will initially be subtle.
Starting at 9:33 p.m., the partial eclipse takes shape as Earth’s dark umbral shadow falls across the Moon. Over the following hour, a growing portion of the lunar disk will appear to be carved away.
The deepest stage arrives at about 11:12 p.m., when roughly 96% of the Moon will be inside the umbra. A small bright portion will remain outside the darkest shadow, which is why astronomers classify the event as a partial rather than total lunar eclipse.
The partial phase ends shortly after midnight, at 12:52 a.m. on Aug. 28. The Moon then remains in the penumbra until about 2:02 a.m., although that final stage will be much harder to notice.
Where can you see the eclipse in Colombia?
The eclipse will be visible throughout Colombia because the country will be on the nighttime side of Earth during the event. The same eclipse will also cross much of North and South America, as well as parts of Europe and Africa.
That means observers in Bogota, Medellin, Cali, Barranquilla, Cartagena and other Colombian cities can watch the eclipse if clouds do not block the Moon.
Urban light pollution will not prevent the eclipse itself, but a darker location will make the Moon’s color and the surrounding stars easier to see. A clear view toward the sky is more important than specialized equipment.
Why will the Moon turn red?
The reddish color comes from the way sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere. When Earth’s shadow covers the Moon, some sunlight still reaches the lunar surface after traveling through the atmosphere around the planet.
Earth’s atmosphere scatters much of the blue light while allowing more red and orange wavelengths to pass through. Those wavelengths reach the Moon and can give it a copper, orange, or reddish appearance.
The effect will be especially noticeable during the deepest part of the eclipse, when almost the entire lunar disk lies within Earth’s umbra. Because a small section remains outside the umbra, however, the Moon will not become completely dark or experience a true total eclipse.
How to watch the August 2026 lunar eclipse
No special eye protection is necessary. Lunar eclipses are safe to observe directly, unlike solar eclipses. For the clearest view, choose an outdoor location with an unobstructed view of the Moon. Moving away from bright artificial lights can improve visibility, particularly for stars surrounding the eclipsed Moon.
Binoculars can make the changing boundary between the illuminated and shadowed parts easier to see. A telescope will reveal additional lunar detail, but the eclipse will remain visible without either.
The event will last several hours, giving Colombian observers a wide window to watch the Moon move into and out of Earth’s shadow. The most dramatic stage will occur late Thursday night, when almost the entire Moon takes on the appearance of a deep partial “blood moon.”