A partial lunar eclipse will be visible Thursday night (8/27/26)! The partial eclipse will begin at 8:33pm MDT and end at 11:51pm MDT. The maximum eclipse will occur at 10:12pm MDT, when 96.2% of the moon will be covered by Earth's shadow, giving most of the moon an orange/red appearance.
A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth moves between the sun and the moon, causing Earth's shadow to fall on the moon. Because the entire moon will not pass into Earth's shadow during Thursday night's event, this will be a partial lunar eclipse.
During a lunar eclipse, the moon can appear orange or reddish in color because sunlight is filtered through Earth's atmosphere before reaching the lunar surface. As sunlight passes through the atmosphere, shorter wavelengths of light, such as blue and violet, are scattered in all directions, while longer wavelengths, such as red and orange, continue through the atmosphere and are bent into Earth's shadow.
As a result, even though Earth blocks direct sunlight from reaching the moon, some of this filtered red-orange light still illuminates the lunar surface, giving it a coppery or deep red appearance. This is the same process that makes sunrises and sunsets appear red or orange.
Viewing conditions across Montana will vary. The best viewing is expected in western Montana, while cloud cover will likely limit visibility in eastern Montana. Central Montana is expected to have partly cloudy skies, so viewing conditions will not be perfect, but there should still be a good opportunity to catch at least part of the eclipse.
Along with the lunar eclipse, the northern lights may also make an appearance tonight. The Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm watch for Thursday night, which means the aurora may be visible across Canada and portions of the northern United States where skies are clear.
To maximize your chances of seeing the northern lights, head away from city lights and find a location with a clear view of the northern horizon. The darker the sky, the better your chances of spotting the aurora.
If the skies cooperate, it could be an incredible night for skywatching, with the possibility of seeing both a dramatic lunar eclipse and the northern lights in the same night.
