Witness the Earth's eclipse shadow, marvel at the deception. 6 compelling reasons to observe tonight's blood-red Moon lunar eclipse event

Prepare for a celestial spectacle as the total lunar eclipse, also known as a 'blood Moon', will grace the night sky on the evening of September 7-8, 2025. This awe-inspiring event will be visible across a vast swathe of the globe, including the UK and Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia.

During the eclipse, Earth's shadow will creep across the surface of the Moon, transforming it into a dark, rusty red hue. This striking colour is the result of sunlight being refracted by Earth's atmosphere on its way to the lunar surface.

For those located further east of the UK and Europe, the full Moon will rise before it's eclipsed, allowing you to witness two lunar phenomena in one evening. Meanwhile, if you're in the region where totality is visible, you'll see the entire lunar disc basked in Earth's shadow.

The Moon illusion, a well-known effect, can be observed during any full Moon. This mystery, which has likely enticed humanity since we first looked upwards, makes the Moon appear bigger than usual when observed on the horizon. It's a matter of perspective, making the Moon appear to dwarf foreground objects.

This total lunar eclipse will occur when Earth is between the Sun and the Moon. The Moon's orbit around Earth is elliptical, not circular, which means the Moon will be at its closest point to Earth during this eclipse, making it a 'supermoon'. Another term for a supermoon is a 'perigee syzygy Moon'. The term 'syzygy' describes an alignment of three or more celestial bodies.

On the evening of the 8th of September, Saturn will be even closer to the Moon, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the celestial show.

The good news is that you don't need any special equipment to witness this spectacle. The total lunar eclipse can be observed without binoculars or a telescope, making it accessible to all.

For those in the UK and Europe, the Moon will already be eclipsed as it rises, meaning you'll see the blood Moon low on the horizon. Meanwhile, the region best able to see the total lunar eclipse is a large part of Eurasia; the Moon rises already in total eclipse in Central Europe (including Germany), but the Moon is higher and more visible during totality over much of Asia, while in Australia and Japan the eclipse coincides with moonset.

The total lunar eclipse of September 7-8, 2025, is the last full Moon before three supermoons in 2025. So mark your calendars and prepare for a night of stargazing that you won't forget!

Witness the Earth's eclipse shadow, marvel at the deception. 6 compelling reasons to observe tonight's blood-red Moon lunar eclipse event