Skywatchers are in for a rare celestial treat as a total lunar eclipse — popularly called a blood moon — will occur overnight on September 7 and in the early hours of September 8.
The spectacular event will be visible across Asia, Western Australia, Europe, and Africa, while those in the Americas will unfortunately miss out.
What Makes This Blood Moon Special?
A blood moon occurs when Earth’s shadow fully covers the moon, turning it deep red or orange. Astronomers say this eclipse will be especially striking because the moon will be deep in Earth’s umbral shadow, making its red hue darker and richer than usual.
Adding to the spectacle, this eclipse happens just 2.7 days before perigee — the point when the moon is closest to Earth — meaning the moon will appear slightly larger in the sky.
Global Key Timings (Local Time):
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London / Paris / Cape Town: 7:30 pm – 8:52 pm (Sept 7)
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Istanbul / Cairo / Nairobi: 8:30 pm – 9:52 pm (Sept 7)
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Mumbai: 11:00 pm (Sept 7) – 12:22 am (Sept 8)
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Bangkok: 12:30 am – 1:52 am (Sept 8)
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Beijing / Hong Kong / Perth: 1:30 am – 2:52 am (Sept 8)
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Tokyo: 2:30 am – 3:52 am (Sept 8)
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Sydney: 3:30 am – 4:52 am (Sept 8)
Maximum Eclipse: 5:11 pm EDT (9:11 pm GMT) on Sept 7
Total Duration of Totality: ~82 minutes
Who Can Watch
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Best Views: Asia, Australia (moon high in the sky)
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Visible Near Moonrise: Europe, Africa
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Not Visible: Americas (next chance — March 3, 2026)
How to Watch
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Naked Eye Viewing: Safe to watch directly — no special equipment needed
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Online Livestreams:
Quick FAQs
Q1: What is a blood moon?
It’s a total lunar eclipse where Earth’s shadow covers the moon, making it look red or orange.
Q2: How long will the total phase last?
About 82 minutes.
