August Full Moon with Partial Lunar Eclipse

The last full moon of summer peaks at 07:18 on the morning of Friday, 28 August 2026, Greek time, and this year is accompanied by a partial lunar eclipse. On the night of Thursday, 27 August, the eve of the peak, the moon rises in Athens at approximately 19:43 with its illuminated side already at about 98%, a fact that makes it practically full to the eye of an observer. On the same day as the full moon, the Ministry of Culture opens free entry to 126 archaeological sites, monuments and museums across the country.

The partial lunar eclipse unfolds in the early morning hours of Friday. Earth’s shadow touches the moon at approximately 04:23, while the partial phase of the eclipse begins at approximately 05:33 in Athens, with the moon then approximately 14 degrees above the west-southwest horizon. The best visible point of the phenomenon in Athens is placed around 06:50, when the moon is just 0.4 degrees above the horizon, a few minutes before it sets at 06:54. Because the moon has already set by the time of the actual peak of the global eclipse, Greece does not get to see the maximum of the phenomenon, while viewing times differ by region: as an indication, in Patras the maximum is placed around 06:59 and in Rhodes around 06:35.

The August full moon is internationally known as the “Sturgeon Moon”, a name that comes from traditional names of indigenous peoples of North America and is not an official astronomical term nor a Greek tradition. It is not, however, a supermoon, as this year’s super full moon is placed in December. Special protective glasses are not required to observe the eclipse, as is the case with solar eclipses, since a lunar eclipse is observed safely with the naked eye; binoculars or a small telescope can simply make Earth’s shadow on the lunar disk more distinct. Anyone wishing to observe it needs an early wake-up and a clear view towards the west-southwest horizon, preferably from an elevated point.

As part of the “August Full Moon” event, 61 of the 126 venues will host organised events, such as music performances, theatre, dance, exhibitions and guided tours, while the remaining 65 will simply remain open to the public, with opening hours usually ranging from 19:30 or 20:00 until 23:00 or midnight. In Athens, the National Archaeological Museum will have free entry to its permanent and temporary exhibitions after 19:00, with the venues open until 23:00 and themed guided tours at 20:00 and 20:30 by reservation, while the Acropolis Museum will operate from 09:00 to midnight, with a tour of the temporary exhibition at 18:00. In Piraeus, the Archaeological Museum organises at 21:00 the music event “Moonlit Melodies”, while similar activities with extended hours are taking place at archaeological sites in Thessaloniki and the Peloponnese, as well as in other regions of the country, with activities extending to 26, 27, 29 and 30 August depending on the venue.