The second and final solar eclipse of 2026 is taking place on August 12, but skywatchers will not have to wait too long for another eclipse. A partial lunar eclipse is set to occur later in the same month, on August 28.
However, there is an important detail for people in India. The August 28 lunar eclipse will not be visible from India, which also means that the eclipse will not have local religious significance according to traditional rules that link sutak and eclipse-related observances to visibility.
When will the next Chandra Grahan take place?
The next lunar eclipse of 2026 will take place on August 28. It will be a partial lunar eclipse, meaning only part of the Moon will pass through the Earth's dark umbral shadow.
The eclipse will be visible from several regions, including parts of Africa, Europe, Asia and the surrounding oceanic regions. However, India will not fall within the visibility zone.
Will the August 28 Chandra Grahan be visible in India?
No. The August 28 lunar eclipse will not be visible from India.
The India Meteorological Department's Positional Astronomy Centre lists the August 28 event as a partial eclipse of the Moon that will not be visible in India.
For New Delhi, eclipse calculations also show that the Moon will remain below the horizon throughout the event, making it impossible to observe the eclipse from the city.
Will Sutak Kaal be observed in India?
Since the August 28 lunar eclipse will not be visible from India, sutak kaal will not be applicable locally according to traditional eclipse observance rules.
Drik Panchang's New Delhi calculations specifically list Sutak as not applicable for this lunar eclipse.
This is also consistent with the traditional principle that an eclipse that is not visible at a particular location does not carry the same local religious observances.
Where will the lunar eclipse be visible?
The August 28 partial lunar eclipse will be visible from a broad region covering Antarctica, Africa, Europe, Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
The visibility will vary depending on the location and the stage of the eclipse. In some regions, only the beginning or ending of the umbral phase will be observable because of local moonrise or moonset.
What happens during a lunar eclipse?
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, causing the Earth's shadow to fall on the Moon.
In a partial lunar eclipse, only a portion of the Moon enters the Earth's umbral shadow. The August 28 event is classified as a partial lunar eclipse.
The event follows the August 12 total solar eclipse, making August an interesting month for skywatchers, with two eclipses occurring within a little over two weeks of each other.
Two eclipses in August 2026
The August 12 total solar eclipse and August 28 partial lunar eclipse form an eclipse pair separated by just over two weeks. The August 12 solar eclipse will be visible across parts of Europe and other regions, but not from India. The August 28 lunar eclipse will also remain below the horizon for observers in India.
So, while August 2026 will bring two major eclipses, people in India will not be able to witness either event directly from the country.
Also read:
Should you eat, sleep or bathe during a solar eclipse? Here's what you need to know
