Sky-gazers are in for a dazzling show this weekend as a total lunar eclipse will turn the moon blood red moon for more than an hour in some parts of the world.
The event will occur on the night of September 7–8, 2025, when Earth drifts directly between the Sun and the Moon, casting its vast shadow across the lunar disk.
The result is a spectacular sight in which the entire moon glows deep red – a phenomenon caused by sunlight bending through Earth’s atmosphere and scattering the red-orange hues of every sunrise and sunset onto its surface, Space.com reported.
Where the blood moon will be visible
The eclipse will be visible in its entirety across large parts of Asia, Africa, eastern Europe, and western Australia. Other regions, including Spain and Norway, will see only a partial eclipse.
In North and South America, a bright full ‘Corn Moon’ will light up the skies, according to CNN.
The Corn Moon earns its nickname because it coincides with the corn harvest, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
The Corn Moon will peak at the same time as the lunar eclipse, but to the naked eye it will appear full for several nights, meaning viewers can admire it all weekend and into Monday.
For those outside the blood moon viewing zone, several astronomy channels will provide free livestreams the night of the event, Space.com reported.
The Blood Moon will glow red for 82 minutes during this weekend’s rare total lunar eclipse
How the eclipse will unfold
Unlike a solar eclipse, which passes in minutes, a lunar eclipse is slow and dramatic, unfolding over several hours.
It begins when the Moon first enters Earth’s faint outer shadow, the penumbra, at 11:28 a.m. ET. The shading at this stage is subtle, visible only as a gentle darkening across the lunar surface.
At 12:27 p.m., the real drama begins as the Moon slips into Earth’s umbra, the darker central shadow.
The moment of totality arrives at 1:30 p.m., when the Moon is completely engulfed by the umbra.
The eclipse reaches its maximum at 2:11 p.m. By 2:52 p.m., the Moon slips back out of the shadow, and the event draws to a close at 4:55 p.m. after more than five hours in total.
According to Space.com, totality alone will last for an impressive 82 minutes – making this one of the longer eclipses in recent years.
Earth’s shadow moves across the Moon during the partial phase of the September 7–8 eclipse
Why the Moon turns red
The Moon turns red as it slips deeper into Earth’s shadow because sunlight passing through the atmosphere is bent toward it.
Shorter blue wavelengths scatter away, while the longer red and orange rays are refracted onto the lunar surface.
At times, the Moon can also show faint blue or purple fringes around the edges.
Sara Russell, a research scientist at London’s Natural History Museum, told CNN this effect is caused by sunlight filtering through Earth’s ozone layer.
What is a Corn Moon?
September’s full moon is traditionally known as the Corn Moon, a name rooted in farming folklore because it coincides with the annual corn harvest.
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the Corn Moon often appears larger and brighter in the late summer sky, providing extra light for farmers bringing in their crops.
Those in the Americas who can’t see the eclipse will still be able to enjoy the Corn Moon glowing overhead all weekend.
At 1:30 p.m. ET, the Moon will be completely engulfed in Earth’s umbra and turn a fiery red
What’s next in the sky?
Just two weeks later, on September 21, a partial solar eclipse will be visible from southern Australia, parts of the Pacific, and Antarctica, according to Space.com.
And to close out 2025, stargazers can look forward to three consecutive supermoons – October’s Harvest Moon, November’s Beaver Moon and December’s Cold Moon – which the Farmers’ Almanac notes will all appear larger and brighter than usual.
The next total lunar eclipse will take place on March 3, 2026, and will favor the Americas, CNN reported.
