North Atlanta Could See a Nearly Total Lunar Eclipse Thursday Night

More than 96% of the moon will enter Earth’s central shadow, although clouds and thunderstorms may interfere with the view.

North Atlanta will have a chance to see a deep partial lunar eclipse Thursday night into early Friday—if the weather cooperates.

The easily visible portion begins at 10:34 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, as Earth’s central shadow starts moving across the full moon. The eclipse reaches its maximum at approximately 12:13 a.m. Friday, when 96.3% of the moon’s disk will be inside the darkest part of Earth’s shadow.

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Although the eclipse falls just short of totality, the effect should be dramatic. As the bright uncovered portion narrows, the shadowed part of the moon may take on a copper or reddish color.

Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse is safe to view without protective glasses. Binoculars can improve the view but are not necessary. A backyard, park or other location with an open view of the sky should be sufficient; there is no need to find a perfectly dark site.

The larger concern is cloud cover. The National Weather Service expects scattered to numerous thunderstorms Thursday, with heavy rainfall capable of producing localized flooding across North Georgia. Even if evening storms fade, lingering clouds could obscure part or all of the eclipse.

NASA’s online visualization can show the eclipse’s progression if local skies remain blocked. The next eclipse in the same 18-year lunar cycle will not occur until September 2044. NASA’s eclipse timing and visualization and North Georgia weather outlook.