BMKG: Total Lunar Eclipse to Be Visible Across Indonesia on Tuesday Evening

Jakarta. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) announced that a rare total lunar eclipse will be visible across the country on Tuesday evening, weather permitting.

According to BMKG’s astronomical calculations, the eclipse will begin at approximately 6:03 p.m. local time. The peak phase will occur at 6:33 p.m. in western Indonesia, 7:33 p.m. in central Indonesia, and 8:33 p.m. in eastern Indonesia. During this phase, the Moon will be fully immersed in Earth’s umbra, or core shadow.

The public is advised to choose open areas with minimal light pollution and to monitor official BMKG weather forecasts to ensure optimal viewing conditions.

Eastern Indonesia is expected to offer better viewing conditions, as observers there will be able to watch the eclipse from its early stages when the Moon begins to rise. In western parts of the country, the Moon will generally already be in or nearing totality when it appears above the eastern horizon.

Overall, the eclipse will last more than five and a half hours from beginning to end. However, the totality phase — when the Moon is completely covered by Earth’s shadow — will last approximately one hour. The event will gradually conclude as the Moon exits the penumbral shadow.

At peak totality, the Moon may appear reddish. This phenomenon occurs because Earth’s atmosphere scatters shorter blue wavelengths of sunlight while allowing red light to pass through and reach the lunar surface — a process commonly referred to as the “blood moon” effect.

BMKG added that four eclipses are expected in 2026, consisting of two solar eclipses and two lunar eclipses. However, only Tuesday’s total lunar eclipse will be visible from Indonesia this year.

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