Blood Moon Eclipse
September 07, 2025
On the night of September 7, 2025, observers across Asia, Australia, Africa, and Europe were treated to a rare and captivating celestial event: a total lunar eclipse, commonly known as a "Blood Moon". For approximately 82 minutes, the Moon took on a striking crimson hue as it passed through Earth's darkest shadow, captivating billions with its deep, dramatic red glow.
The cosmic alignment: What caused the Blood Moon?
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align perfectly, causing Earth to block the Sun's light and cast a shadow on the lunar surface. Instead of disappearing, the Moon takes on a red color due to a phenomenon called Rayleigh scattering. As sunlight passes through Earth's atmosphere, shorter blue and green wavelengths are scattered away, while longer red and orange wavelengths are filtered and bent towards the Moon.
The exact shade of red can vary depending on atmospheric conditions, such as dust or clouds, which further affect how light is scattered. This natural filtering effect is the same process that makes our sky appear blue during the day and creates fiery sunsets.
A global spectacle
The widespread visibility of this particular lunar eclipse made it a truly global event, offering a rare opportunity for a large portion of the world's population to witness the full totality.
Optimal viewing: Observers in Asia and Australia had some of the best views, with the Moon high overhead during totality.
Horizon views: Those in Europe and Africa experienced a stunning view of the eclipse as the Moon rose, adding to the spectacle.
Safety first: Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse is safe to view with the naked eye, though binoculars and telescopes offered a more detailed look at the Moon's reddish surface.
Key moments of the eclipse
From the first subtle dimming to the deep red totality, the eclipse followed a predictable timeline for skywatchers across different time zones.
Penumbral and Partial phases: The event began with the penumbral phase, a subtle dimming that was difficult to notice. The Moon then moved into the darker partial eclipse phase, where a growing shadow became visible across the lunar surface.
Totality: The total phase, where the Moon was fully immersed in Earth's shadow, lasted for an impressive 82 minutes, making it one of the longest in recent years.
The finale: The total eclipse gave way to the final partial and penumbral phases as the Moon moved out of Earth's shadow, returning to its normal appearance.
A reminder of the cosmos
While historically viewed as an omen in some cultures, the September 2025 Blood Moon was, in reality, a beautiful display of celestial mechanics. It served as a powerful reminder of the intricate and predictable movements of our solar system. For millions, it was a moment to step outside and appreciate the awe-inspiring beauty of the cosmos, connecting them to the vastness of the universe under a single, breathtaking spectacle in the night sky.
The moment of totality - with the moon completely in the Earth’s shadow and lit by the refracted light of the sun passing through the Earth’s atmosphere.
Star Map 1 - Leading the Moon
Moon Phase - 7 September 2025
Star Map 2 - Following the Moon
The path of totality
The mechanics of the crimson moon
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align perfectly, causing the Earth to block the Sun's light and cast a deep shadow, or umbra, on the lunar surface. Instead of disappearing into darkness, the Moon took on its dramatic red color due to a phenomenon called Rayleigh scattering.
As sunlight passes through Earth's atmosphere, shorter blue and green wavelengths are scattered away by atmospheric particles.
The longer red and orange wavelengths, however, are filtered and bent, or refracted, towards the Moon's surface.
The exact shade of red can vary depending on atmospheric conditions, such as the amount of dust or cloud cover, which affect how light is scattered.
Adding to the spectacle, this eclipse occurred just 2.7 days before the Moon reached its perigee—the closest point in its orbit to Earth—making it appear slightly larger than usual.
Key timings and global visibility
This was the second and last total lunar eclipse of 2025. The long duration and widespread visibility of this particular eclipse made it a truly global event. The eclipse followed a precise timeline for skywatchers, with times varying depending on location.
Timings for India (IST):
Penumbral eclipse begins: 8:58 p.m. on Sunday, September 7
Partial eclipse begins: 9:57 p.m.
Total eclipse begins: 11:00 p.m.
Maximum eclipse: 11:41 p.m.
Total eclipse ends: 12:22 a.m. on Monday, September 8
Partial eclipse ends: 1:26 a.m.
Penumbral eclipse ends: 2:25 a.m.
Optimal viewing zones:
Best Views: Observers in Asia and Australia had some of the best views, with the Moon high overhead during totality.
Horizon Views: Those in Europe and Africa witnessed the eclipse as the Moon rose, creating a stunning, reddish glow against the horizon.
Not Visible: Due to its timing, the event was not visible in North or South America.
Context within a lunar series
This total lunar eclipse was part of a larger, scientifically tracked series of eclipses.
Tritos Cycle: It was part of a tritos cycle, which repeats every 11 years minus one month at alternating nodes of the Moon's orbit.
Saros Cycle: It also belonged to the Saros series 128 and was the 41st of 71 eclipses in that series.
While historically viewed as an omen in some cultures, the September 2025 Blood Moon was, in reality, a beautiful display of celestial mechanics. It served as a powerful reminder of the intricate and predictable movements of our solar system. For millions, it was a moment to step outside and appreciate the awe-inspiring beauty of the cosmos, connecting them to the vastness of the universe under a single, breathtaking spectacle in the night sky.
The next spectacular view
For those in the Americas who missed out, the next total lunar eclipse is scheduled for March 3, 2026, which will be visible across North and South America, as well as East Asia and Australia.
Equipment used:
I ran the Canon 1Dx Mark ii wearing various lenses
Canon 1Dx Mark 2 with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM
Canon 1Dx Mark 2 with the EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM
Canon 1Dx Mark 2 with the EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM + 2x extender equalling a total focal length of 1200mm and f8
Find all these in my Kit Bag.
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