Will Mother Nature cooperate with those heading outside tonight for a view of the lunar eclipse?
The National Weather Service is predicting partly cloudy skies in Sarasota during peak eclipse hours, potentially affecting views of what space.com said will be one of the most impressive lunar eclipses until late 2028.
While Florida residents won't see a total lunar eclipse, the Earth's shadow — known as the umbra — will cover almost 94% of the moon.
Shop astronomy products for beginners on Amazon
You'll have to stay up late if you want to see the peak of the eclipse, but most people should be able to see the start of the eclipse earlier in the evening.
Of course, the best viewing will be away from lights, assuming the skies cooperate.
Here's what you
should know to watch it in Sarasota.
Lunar eclipse 2026 viewing times in Sarasota, Florida
Here is what to expect in Sarasota, according to timeanddate.com.
- Penumbral eclipse begins: 9:23 p.m. Aug. 27
- Partial eclipse begins: 10:33 p.m. Aug. 27
- Maximum eclipse: 12:12 a.m. Aug. 28
- Partial eclipse ends: 1:51 p.m. Aug. 28
- Penumbral eclipse ends: 3:01 a.m. Aug. 28
➤ See how the eclipse will look from Sarasota
Will clouds block view of lunar eclipse in Sarasota?
Sarasota weather forecast for Thursday night during eclipse
Forecast Thursday night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms.
Partly cloudy, with a low around 78. Southwest wind around 7 mph becoming southeast in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Will the sturgeon moon lunar eclipse be visible in Florida?
It will be visible in Florida, although residents along the east coast may miss some of it since the moon may be too low on the horizon.
Florida residents can expect to see about 93% of the moon in the Earth's shadow, according to timeanddate.com.
Will we see a 'blood moon' during partial lunar eclipse?
"When the Earth is positioned precisely between the moon and sun, the Earth’s shadow falls upon the surface of the moon, dimming it and sometimes turning the lunar surface a striking red over the course of a few hours.
"During a lunar eclipse, the moon appears red or orange because any sunlight that's not blocked by our planet is filtered through a thick slice of Earth’s atmosphere on its way to the lunar surface. It’s as if all the world’s sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the moon," NASA said.
The August partial lunar eclipse won't be a "true blood moon" because at no point will there be lunar totality — when the entire lunar surface falls under Earth's shadow, according to space.com.
What is a lunar eclipse?
A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, creating a shadow across the lunar surface.
During a partial lunar eclipse, the sun, Earth and moon aren't lined up exactly. So the "moon passes through only part of Earth's umbra. The shadow grows and then recedes without ever entirely covering the moon," according to NASA.
August lunar eclipse will be the best one on Earth until New Year's Eve 2028
The partial lunar eclipse happening Aug. 27-28, 2026, will be "the best lunar eclipse anywhere on Earth until New Year's Eve 2028," according to space.com.
A total lunar eclipse will occur on Dec. 31, 2028, rolling over into Jan. 1, 2029. Unfortunately forFlorida residents, it won't be visible here.
But if you want to ring in the new year in Hawaii, at least part of the total eclipse will bevisible in Honolulu.
Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida's service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://heraldtribune.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Will clouds affect Sarasota view of tonight's lunar eclipse?
Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.
