A resident of São Carlos in São Paulo state recorded video of a partial lunar eclipse visible across Brazil overnight on August 28.
The footage shows the shadow of Earth advancing across the lunar disk during an event that left 96.2 percent of the Moon obscured at its peak.
The eclipse reached maximum alignment at 1:13 a.m. on Friday, when almost the entire lunar surface was covered by the umbra, the darkest central region of the shadow cast by Earth.
Astronomers classify the event as a partial eclipse because a small portion of the Moon remained outside the umbra, despite its appearance remaining close to a total eclipse.
According to the resident, the eclipse became noticeable around 11:40 p.m. on Thursday night and continued until approximately 2:00 a.m. on Friday.
The recording captured key moments of the event over São Carlos, a municipality located in the interior region of São Paulo state.
Eclipse timeline and phases
Official astronomical timing shows the partial phase of the eclipse began at 11:34 p.m. on Thursday and ended at 2:52 a.m. on Friday.
A subtle penumbral phase, which is faint and difficult to observe without equipment, concluded at approximately 4:02 a.m.
Lunar eclipses occur when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align directly, projecting the shadow of Earth onto the lunar surface during a full moon.
Eclipses do not happen during every full moon because the orbit of the Moon is tilted relative to the orbital plane of Earth.
In this instance, the Moon passed deeply into the umbra, creating a pronounced darkening of the disk.
Atmospheric effects and viewing conditions
During its passage through the shadow of Earth, the Moon can take on reddish or orange hues.
This color change occurs because sunlight passes through the atmosphere of Earth before reaching the surface of the Moon.
Atmospheric gases scatter shorter light wavelengths, such as blue light, while longer red wavelengths pass through to illuminate the Moon, using the same principle responsible for red skies at sunrise and sunset.
The phenomenon was visible to the naked eye across all Brazilian territory without the need for telescopes, special filters, or optical gear.
Clear skies were the primary requirement for observing the overnight spectacle across the country.
Future lunar events
The video recorded in São Carlos captured one of the primary celestial events of the night for observers in South America.
Stargazers in Brazil will have to wait several years for the next comparable event, as the next total lunar eclipse visible across the entire country is expected in June 2029.
