Partial lunar eclipse to grace German skies on August 28
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By Simone Jacobs
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Another spectacular natural phenomenon is set to grace German skies, following shortly after the rare solar eclipse earlier this month. On Friday, August 28, a partial lunar eclipse will be visible over Germany - and this time no eclipse glasses are needed!
When is the lunar eclipse taking place?
On August 28, in the early morning, Germany is set to witness a partial lunar eclipse. This occurs when the Earth is positioned between the sun and the moon, causing the Earth to cast a shadow over the moon.
During a total lunar eclipse, the moon takes on a red glow, also known as a blood moon. Unfortunately, only a partial lunar eclipse is taking place this time, with 94 percent of the moon being covered by the Earth’s umbra, which means only part of the moon will appear red. The next total lunar eclipse is set to take place on December 31, 2028, reports Der Spiegel.
How to view the partial lunar eclipse in Germany
The lunar eclipse will begin at 4.33am, peaking at just after 6am. To stand the best chance of getting a glimpse of the eclipse, “you should get up early and find an elevated spot, just like for a solar eclipse,” said deputy managing scientist of the House of Astronomy in Heidelberg Carolin Liefke.
It is best to head to a spot with an unobstructed view of the horizon, such as a national park away from tall city buildings, especially since the moon is very low when the lunar eclipse is at its peak.
Visibility will also depend on the weather, requiring clear skies. However, the German Weather Service (DWD) predicts cloudy weather with showers and possible thunderstorms on Friday, so we can only hope we get a glimpse before the weather turns.
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Editor for the Netherlands at IamExpat Media. Simone studied Genetics and Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa before moving to the Netherlands, where she has been working as a writer and editor since 2022. One thing she loves more than creating content is consuming it, mainly by reading books by the dozen. Other than being a book dragon, she is also a nature lover and enjoys hiking and animal training.Read more