APOD: 2026 September 1 – A Plane Lunar Eclipse
Discover the cosmos!
Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
2026 September 1
A Plane Lunar Eclipse
Image Credit:
Paulo Ferreira
Explanation:
Did you need to be on the right side of this airplane to see this eclipse?
No.
Lunar eclipses are routinely seen from the
half of the Earth facing the Moon
when the eclipse occurs,
making them some of the most commonly witnessed astronomical events.
You don’t even need any
special equipment to see one — just your
unaided eyes.
Lunar eclipses are also some of the
most
photographed
astronomical
events because,
unlike with a solar eclipse,
your eyes and camera do not have to look toward the bright
Sun.
However, considering the
featured image taken
last week from
Portugal, if you were on the left side of
that airplane during takeoff,
you might have trouble seeing it — at first.
But even then,
after takeoff, since
lunar eclipses typically last for hours,
you might soon be able to safely cross the aisle(s) to see it.
Gallery:
Lunar Eclipse of 2026 August
APOD’s main NASA site is
moving:
From apod.nasa.gov to
science.nasa.gov/apod
Tomorrow’s picture: cultural eclipses
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Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
NASA Official: Amber Straughn
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