Total lunar eclipse will turn Moon 'blood red' on Sept. 7–8, 2025

Sky‑gazers will witness a total lunar eclipse the night of Sept. 7–8, 2025, when Earth moves directly between the Sun and the Moon and casts its shadow across the lunar disk, producing a deep red — or "blood" — Moon for more than an hour in some locations.

The reddening occurs as sunlight filters through Earth's atmosphere and is refracted and scattered, leaving predominantly red‑orange wavelengths to illuminate the lunar surface. Space.com described the phenomenon as the same scattering that gives sunrises and sunsets their color.

Observers across large parts of Asia, Africa, eastern Europe and western Australia will be able to see the eclipse in its entirety, according to published sky‑watching guides. Some regions, including parts of Spain and Norway, will observe only a partial eclipse. Residents of North and South America will not see the eclipse but will instead have a view of a bright full Moon, known as the "Corn Moon," which coincides with the traditional corn harvest and will appear full to the naked eye for several nights surrounding the peak.

The Moon reaches full phase at roughly the same time as the eclipse peak, offering an extended opportunity for casual viewers and photographers to observe the lunar features and color changes even if local conditions limit views of totality. Total lunar eclipses can last up to a few hours from the start of partial phases through the end, with the period of totality — when the Moon appears completely red — typically lasting from several minutes to more than an hour depending on the geometry of the event.

Lunar eclipses occur only when the Sun, Earth and Moon align near the Moon's orbital nodes, which happen a few times each year in various combinations of partial, penumbral and total eclipses. Because the Moon passes through Earth's shadow rather than being obscured by an object in direct sunlight, lunar eclipses are safe to view with the naked eye and do not require protective eyewear.

Weather and local horizon obstructions will determine how well the event is seen at any particular location, and sky‑watchers often consult local astronomical societies, observatories and weather forecasts for viewing tips and exact local timing. Amateur and professional astronomers frequently use total lunar eclipses to study subtle changes in the Moon's surface illumination and to monitor Earth's atmospheric conditions, which can influence the depth of the red coloration during totality.

The Sept. 7–8 eclipse adds to a calendar of predictable celestial events that provide wide public access to observational astronomy, since lunar eclipses are visible from any point on the nighttime side of Earth and do not require specialized equipment to enjoy.