On the evening of Sunday, September 7 into the morning of September 8, the sky will deal with the majority of the world to a complete lunar eclipse, also referred to as a “blood moon.” For greater than an hour, the full moon will slip into Earth’s shadow and glow a deep, coppery pink. Roughly 85% of the world’s inhabitants may have an opportunity to see the complete eclipse, making this one in every of the most generally seen celestial events of the year. Below, we break down the place and when you’ll be able to expertise the astronomical phenomenon this weekend. (For the astrologically curious, our September 2025 horoscope dives into how eclipse season might shake up your travels this month.)
What is a complete lunar eclipse?
A complete lunar eclipse happens when the moon passes via the Earth’s shadow, or umbra, turning its luminous silvery-white floor a deep orange-red. Lunar eclipses solely occur when the solar, Earth, and moon are aligned simply proper—the Earth has to go instantly between the solar and the moon. This would not occur each month as a result of the moon’s orbit is tilted.
Lunar eclipses have a number of phases. Up first is the penumbral eclipse, when the moon strikes into the faint outer shadow of the Earth, known as the penumbra. During this section, the moon’s floor dims solely barely. Once the moon reaches the umbra, or the denser a part of the Earth’s shadow, it turns into a partial eclipse—that is when the coppery-red hue creeps onto the floor of the moon, slowly “consuming” the full circle. Once the total moon is roofed by the umbra, the eclipse turns into a complete eclipse.
An fascinating quirk about lunar eclipses is that they solely happen throughout full moons, due to the particular alignment vital for the phenomenon. The Sept. 7-8 complete lunar eclipse will occur throughout the full “corn” moon, a nickname that comes from the Farmer’s Almanac, which names moons based mostly on Native American traditions. Thus, September’s moon derives its title from the seasonal corn harvest.
There’s loads of sightseeing to do in the sky, too.
When and the place can I see the eclipse?
Most of the world’s inhabitants will likely be ready to see the Sept. 7-8 complete lunar eclipse. Viewers throughout Eastern Africa, most of Asia, the western half of Australia, and East Antarctica will likely be ready to see the entirety of the eclipse, from the penumbral section to totality and again once more. Regions to the east and west of this zone—together with Europe, the remainder of Africa, and the remainder of Australia—will see no less than a part of the eclipse. Unfortunately, if you happen to stay in the Americas, you are out of luck. The eclipse will happen throughout sunlight hours right here, so it will not be seen.
As for timing, totality throughout the Sept. 7-8 eclipse is very long-lasting—the moon will stay darkened for 82 minutes—whereas the complete eclipse will final almost 5.5 hours. The beneath chart shares the occasions of every section of the eclipse.
Be positive to convert UTC to your time zone. You can use websites like TimeAndDate.com, which additionally has a really helpful eclipse page to assist you determine what’s seen in your location and when.
In order to see the eclipse, all you could have to do is have a look at the moon; no telescopes, binoculars, or particular glasses are wanted. (Solar eclipses, on the different hand, should solely be seen with eye safety.)
Why is it known as a “blood moon”?
During totality, the moon takes on a coppery pink hue—that is why some refer to it as a “blood moon.” This coloration change occurs as a result of daylight passes via Earth’s ambiance earlier than reaching the moon. The ambiance scatters shorter wavelengths of sunshine, equivalent to blues and greens, whereas permitting longer pink wavelengths to filter via. It’s the similar purpose sunrises and sunsets tackle warm-toned colours.
When is the subsequent complete lunar eclipse?
The subsequent complete lunar eclipse will occur on March 2–3, 2026, and it is going to be seen throughout North America, the Pacific Islands, Australia and New Zealand, and East Asia. During this eclipse, totality will final 58 minutes.