Total Lunar Eclipse of 2029-06-26

Historical significance

The June 26 2029 total lunar eclipse is the deepest and longest total lunar eclipse of the entire 21st century. Its umbral magnitude of 1.8452 — meaning the Moon plunges nearly two lunar diameters into the umbra — produces an extraordinary totality lasting 1 hour 41 minutes 53 seconds, the maximum possible for Saros series 130. No other total lunar eclipse between 2001 and 2100 exceeds this duration. The Moon passes almost directly through the center of Earth's shadow at the ecliptic node, which is why both depth and duration are at the geometric maximum.

Comparison to other eclipses

Because the eclipse is so deeply central, observers should expect a notably dark Moon — likely a Danjon L=1 or even L=0 if mid-2029 stratospheric aerosol levels are elevated (e.g., from a volcanic event). It is member 35 of 72 in Saros 130, the same series that produced the famous June 15 2011 long-totality eclipse (100 minutes), but this 2029 event is a further 2 minutes longer. The deep-totality theme continues with the December 20 2029 total later that same year, making 2029 a once-in-a-century lunar showcase.

Astrophotography context

Greatest eclipse occurs at 03:22 UTC, with totality from 02:31 to 04:13 UTC. The eclipse occurs roughly 3.7 days before perigee, so the Moon's apparent diameter is above average. Visibility is best across eastern North America, all of South America, and West Africa, where the Moon is high in the sky in the early morning hours. For New York the entire eclipse occurs from late evening June 25 through early morning June 26, with totality near 23:30 EDT and the Moon at 25-30 degrees altitude. For Buenos Aires the Moon is near 60 degrees altitude. Because the Moon is so deep in the umbra, expect very low surface brightness — plan exposures of 8-30 seconds at ISO 1600-3200, f/5.6-f/8. The northern lunar limb will be markedly darker than the southern; in deep L=0 conditions the Moon may briefly disappear to the naked eye.

Top viewing destinations

• - Eastern North America — full eclipse visible, Moon high in the southern sky around local midnight
• - South America — best-placed continent: Moon near the zenith at greatest eclipse
• - West & central Africa — full eclipse visible with the Moon high overhead
• - Western Europe — Moon sets during totality; mid-eclipse visible at low altitude
• - Middle East & East Africa — moonset occurs during the partial phases