“Can’t Wait To Zoom It”: SA Marine Engineer Gets Mzansi Excited for Lunar Eclipse in TikTok Video
- A Mzansi Marine Engineer SOTAS shared a TikTok video announcing a partial lunar eclipse visible in South Africa on 28 August 2026
- The eclipse falls on his birthday, and he invited followers to shout him a happy birthday while watching the moon
- South Africans flooded the comments with excitement, birthday wishes and praise for his space knowledge
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Source: UGC
A South African marine engineer named SOTAS has excited TikTok users with lunar eclipse news. He revealed a partial lunar eclipse will occur on his birthday next Friday morning.
SOTAS posted the clip on TikTok on 19 August, showing excitement about the sky event. He explained the eclipse will be partial, covering up to 96 percent of the moon.
When the sky event happens
A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth passes between the sun and the moon in space. Earth’s shadow then falls across the lunar surface, turning it a reddish colour.
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Astronomy sites confirm SOTAS got his facts right about the timing and coverage details. The eclipse reaches its deepest point at 06:12 South African time on Friday morning.
Observers across the country will need clear western skies before sunrise to catch it properly. The moon will already be sinking low, so an open horizon helps a lot.
Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses remain completely safe to view without any special glasses needed. Viewers can watch the whole event using nothing more than their bare eyes.
SOTAS asked his followers to look up during the eclipse and wish him well too. He called it a rare treat, since South Africa missed the March eclipse entirely.
That earlier total lunar eclipse passed most of the country by back in March. This time, he said proudly, it will finally be SA’s turn to watch.
Watch SOTAS explain the lunar eclipse and invite Mzansi to celebrate with him:
Mzansi reacts to the news
South Africans in the comments were equal parts informed and entertained:
@Lauraine Mohotlane commented:
“You are my twin.”
@Mr Mayor noted:
“That is the proof that the earth 🌍 is round.”
@Winnie Chikamhi added:
“Since the Artemis II days, you explained to us during the drive by of the crew, and I now think I understand the shapes of the moon and how we get them. I greatly appreciate you. 🙏”
Previous lunar eclipse sightings
- A Cape Town content creator filmed the entire blood moon eclipse from Table Mountain, capturing the moon's transformation.
- A Mzansi TikTok creator shared telescope footage of the recent Blood Moon eclipse, showing different phases of the moon.
- A 'super blood moon' appeared in the sky on Wednesday, dazzling audiences across the globe.
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Source: Briefly News
