Partial lunar eclipse will darken 93% of Moon over Netherlands next Friday

A partial lunar eclipse will be visible across much of the Netherlands next Friday, with around 93 percent of the Moon entering Earth’s darkest shadow. The eclipse is due to start at 3:23 a.m. and peak at 6:14 a.m. However, the Moon will set shortly after reaching its maximum, Weeronline reports.

Visibility of the eclipse will largely depend on the weather, while the Moon’s low position in the southwestern sky could make viewing difficult. Urban areas may face additional problems, with buildings potentially blocking the view. The Moon will set shortly after the eclipse reaches its peak, so the remainder of the event cannot be seen from the Netherlands. The eclipse itself will continue until 9:04 a.m.

The Netherlands saw about 90 percent of the Sun obscured by the Moon during the solar eclipse on August 12. In some parts of Spain and elsewhere, the eclipse was total.

Unlike the total solar eclipse on August 12, a lunar eclipse is 100% safe to watch with the naked eye without specialized protective filters. Because the Moon will sit exceptionally low in the west-southwestern sky, viewing is best from elevated locations, like a hill or rooftop, or open fields away from city structures.

Because 93% of the Moon enters the umbra, the obscured portion will shift from bright white to a deep reddish-orange or copper color. This visual phenomenon is caused by Earth's atmosphere scattering shorter blue wavelengths and bending longer red wavelengths into the shadow.

If clouds ruin the view, the next lunar events visible from the Netherlands will be a faint penumbral eclipse on February 20, 2027, followed by a dramatic total lunar eclipse on December 31, 2028.