Chandra Grahan — 28 August 2026
चंद्र ग्रहण — 28 अगस्त 2026
Short answer: The Chandra Grahan on 28 August 2026 is not visible from anywhere in India — the Moon is below the horizon here throughout. No sutak kaal applies in India. Raksha Bandhan is therefore unaffected: there is no sutak window to work around.
Why it is not visible here — the arithmetic
The eclipse begins at 6:54 AM IST. By then the Moon has already set everywhere in India. The latest moonset anywhere in the country that morning is 6:17 AM — it misses first contact by 37 minutes. Sutak follows visibility, so there is nothing to observe here.
| City | Moon sets | Eclipse begins | Can you see it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi | 5:50 AM | 6:54 AM | No — already set |
| Mumbai | 6:17 AM | 6:54 AM | No — already set |
| Kolkata | 5:10 AM | 6:54 AM | No — already set |
| Chennai | 5:51 AM | 6:54 AM | No — already set |
| Guwahati | 4:52 AM | 6:54 AM | No — already set |
Moonset and eclipse contacts computed with the Swiss Ephemeris for 28 August 2026. Check them against any almanac you like — that is the point.
Timings in IST
- Penumbral begins
- 6:54 AM IST
- Partial phase begins
- 8:04 AM IST
- Maximum eclipse
- 9:43 AM IST
- Partial phase ends
- 11:22 AM IST
- Penumbral ends
- 12:32 PM IST
- Type
- Partial (93% covered)
- Duration (main phase)
- 3 hours 18 minutes
- Visible in India
- No
- Sutak kaal in India
- Does not apply
- Where it is visible
- Best seen from the Americas; visible near moonset from parts of Europe and Africa
These are the global eclipse timings converted to IST — when the eclipse happens, not a claim about seeing it from India.
Raksha Bandhan and this grahan
Every chandra grahan falls on a Purnima — the Moon has to be opposite the Sun to enter Earth's shadow at all. This one is Shravana Purnima, which is Raksha Bandhan (रक्षाबंधन). Because the eclipse is not visible from India, there is no sutak window here and the observance is unaffected — it can be performed at any time on 28 August 2026, as in any other year.
What this grahan means astrologically
A deep partial lunar eclipse with the Moon in Kumbh, in Shatabhisha, sitting with Rahu — a Rahu-grast Chandra Grahan. Shatabhisha is the healer's nakshatra, so the tone is diagnosis: seeing clearly what has been draining you. Falling sixteen days after the solar eclipse, it closes the chapter that eclipse opened.
- Sidereal position
- Kumbh (Aquarius) 10°37′
- Nakshatra
- Shatabhisha
- Tithi
- Shravana Purnima (Shukla)
- Felt most by
- Kumbh and Singh Moon signs
So when IS the next chandra grahan visible from India?
21 February 2027 — the next one where the Moon is actually above the Indian horizon while the eclipse is happening, and therefore the next one that carries sutak here.
Frequently asked
Is the Chandra Grahan on 28 August 2026 visible in India?
No. The Moon is below the horizon across India for the whole eclipse. First contact is at 6:54 AM IST, by which time the Moon has already set everywhere in the country — the latest moonset anywhere in India that morning is 6:17 AM. The eclipse is real, but nobody in India can see it.
Does sutak kaal apply in India for the 28 August 2026 grahan?
No. Sutak is tied to whether the eclipse is visible from where you are, not to the eclipse existing somewhere on Earth. Because this one cannot be seen from India, no sutak applies here — temples stay open, cooking and eating continue as normal, and no restrictions are observed.
Does the grahan affect Raksha Bandhan on 28 August 2026?
No. Raksha Bandhan falls on Shravana Purnima, which is the same full moon the eclipse happens on — but since the eclipse is not visible from India, there is no sutak window here and nothing about the observance changes. It can be performed at any time on 28 August 2026.
What time is the Chandra Grahan on 28 August 2026 in India?
Converted to IST, the eclipse runs 8:04 AM to 11:22 AM, peaking at 9:43 AM — a span of 3 hours 18 minutes. These are the global eclipse timings expressed in Indian time; they are not a claim that it can be seen from India.
When is the next lunar eclipse visible from India?
21 February 2027 — that is the next one where the Moon is actually above the Indian horizon during the eclipse, and therefore the next one that carries sutak here.
Other eclipses in 2026
Where does this eclipse land in your chart?
Whether India can see it decides sutak — not whether it touches you. The eclipse degree, Kumbh (Aquarius) 10°37′, falls in one specific house of your kundli and often on a natal planet. That is what decides whether it reads as an opening or a clearing.