New York's 'Bloody Moon' Excitement: When Is the Historic Eclipse?

New Yorkers will witness a striking solar eclipse in the sky on Thursday evening, August 27. According to NASA, the event will be a technically deep partial solar eclipse. At the moment of maximum eclipse, 96.3% of the Sun will be covered by the Earth's dark shadow, the umbra. As a result, the Sun will appear almost completely eclipsed, though a small portion will continue to receive direct sunlight.

"Blood Moon" appearance could occur

Because the Moon does not fully enter Earth's shadow, this event is not classified as a total solar eclipse. However, the remaining portion that remains in shadow can take on red, orange, or copper hues due to sunlight filtered and refracted by Earth's atmosphere. This view will evoke the image associated with a "Blood Moon" in total eclipses.

The Most Impactful Moment After Midnight

The partial phase of the eclipse will begin on the evening of August 27 at 10:34 p.m. EDT. The greatest eclipse is expected to occur around 12:13 a.m. EDT on August 28. In New York, as the Moon will remain over the Sun throughout the eclipse, clear weather conditions would allow the entire sequence to be observed.

The eclipse will last for hours.

All phases of the lunar eclipse will last about 5 hours 38 minutes. The portion of the Earth's shadow visible on the Moon will last about 3 hours 18 minutes. As long as the sky is clear in New York, the eclipse can be watched with the naked eye. No special protective glasses are required to observe lunar eclipses, just as with solar eclipses.

Billions of People Can Watch

The eclipse on the night of August 27-28 will not be limited to New York alone. NASA says the event can be seen from large parts of North and South America as well as from some regions of Europe and Africa. More than 3 billion people worldwide have the opportunity to see at least part of the eclipse. The Americas are among the most advantageous regions for watching the entire eclipse.

Attention to the 'Cancer Moon' Expression

Some posts circulating on social media describe the event as a 'Cancer Moon' or 'Cancer Moon eclipse.' However, astronomical sources do not use that term. According to NASA data, the full moon and lunar eclipse on August 28 occur in the Pisces sign. Therefore, the 'Cancer Moon' phrase is not a scientific eclipse description but should be regarded as an astrological characterization.

One of the Largest Until 2029

From New York's perspective, the reason this eclipse is noteworthy is that most of the recent lunar eclipses have been much weaker. In the city, penumbral eclipses will occur on 20 February 2027 and 17 August 2027, and a partial eclipse in which only a small portion enters Earth's shadow will be seen on 11‑12 January 2028. The next total lunar eclipse in New York will take place on 26 June 2029.

'Last Eclipse Until 2029' is not.

Therefore the statement 'There will be no other lunar eclipse in New York until 2029' is incorrect. In the city, other lunar eclipses will be visible in 2027 and 2028. However, the 96.3% deep partial eclipse on 27‑28 August 2026 will be one of the most impressive lunar eclipses seen in New York skies up to the total eclipse in 2029.