Moon's full eclipse, a blood moon total lunar eclipse, to illuminate September skies in just a week.

Prepare for an astronomical event as a total lunar eclipse, also known as a 'blood moon', is set to grace the skies on September 7-8. This celestial spectacle will be visible to approximately 5.8 billion people worldwide, making it a sight not to be missed.

The total lunar eclipse occurs when Earth passes between the moon and sun, casting its shadow over the moon. During this phase, the moon will take on a rusty red hue, known as its umbra. This deep red colour is due to Rayleigh scattering, where bluer wavelengths of sunlight are deflected by particles in Earth's atmosphere, allowing only longer wavelengths of sunlight to reach the moon. As a result, the moon will appear a blood-red colour during totality.

For those new to astronomy, the Celestron Inspire 100AZ telescope is recommended for beginners and optimal for planetary observation. Manufactured by Celestron, this 100mm refractor telescope is designed for easy portability and good planetary viewing performance.

If you're interested in capturing the eclipse on camera, a guide for photographing a lunar eclipse with a DSLR is available. For those in countries such as the U.K., Spain, and Brazil, you will get a glimpse at some phases of the eclipse, but may miss parts or all of totality. Don't worry, though, as viewers can prepare a week before the total lunar eclipse by staking out their ideal viewing spot.

In case of cloudy weather or the moon being below the horizon, a livestream of the event will be available on our website. Our website will also provide a lunar eclipse live blog for the latest eclipse news and updates. If you capture an image of the total lunar eclipse, you can send it to our website for potential publication.

It's important to note that viewing the total lunar eclipse does not pose a risk to eyesight, unlike a solar eclipse. The total lunar eclipse will last for 82 minutes, with totality occurring at 1:30 p.m. ET (1730 GMT) on Sept. 7. Unfortunately, the moon will be below the horizon for the entirety of the Sept. 7-8 eclipse for those in the Americas.

Approximately three times a year, orbital mechanics align Earth, moon, and sun for a total lunar eclipse. So, mark your calendars and get ready to witness this breathtaking natural phenomenon. Happy eclipse viewing!

Moon's full eclipse, a blood moon total lunar eclipse, to illuminate September skies in just a week.