‘Blood Moon’ in India and parts of the world today: When and how to watch the total lunar eclipse
“Blood Moon” occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align, causing Earth’s shadow to fall on the Moon and cast it in a deep red hue.
It is a Sunday treat for stargazers in India and in several parts of the world as they can witness a spectacular celestial event, a total lunar eclipse, which will be visible across the country.
The phenomenon, popularly known as a “Blood Moon,” occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align, causing Earth’s shadow to fall on the Moon and cast it in a deep red hue. The sight of the “Blood Moon” has both intrigued and terrified humankind for centuries.
Asia, including India and China, will have the best viewing opportunities, while the full eclipse will also be visible on the eastern edge of Africa and in western Australia, news agency Agence France-Presse reported. Europe and most of Africa will only get a partial view of the phenomenon early in the evening as the moon rises, whereas people in both continents of the Americas will not be able to see it entirely, missing out on the spectacular celestial event.
When will ‘Blood Moon’ be visible, and how to watch?
The “Blood Moon” total lunar eclipse will begin at 11.00 PM IST on September 7 and end at 12.22 AM IST on September 8. The Moon will enter the penumbral phase slightly earlier, around 10:01 PM IST, as it starts moving into Earth’s outer shadow.
The AFP report added that, unlike solar eclipses, which require special glasses or pinhole projectors, lunar eclipses are safe to watch with the naked eye, provided the sky is clear and the location is suitable.
‘Blood Moon’ in the recent past
This will be the second total lunar eclipse this year, following the last one in March, and the longest since 2022. For the astronomers, both amateur and professional, Sunday’s event serves as a precursor to a much-anticipated total solar eclipse next year.
On August 12, 2026, a rare total solar eclipse will be visible across a narrow strip of Europe, including parts of Spain and Iceland. This will be the first total solar eclipse in mainland Europe since 2006, though other nations will see significant partial eclipses.
In Spain, the totality will stretch across a roughly 160-kilometre (100-mile) band between Madrid and Barcelona, although neither city will experience the full event.
Why does the moon appear red during a lunar eclipse?
According to Ryan Milligan, an astrophysicist at Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland, the moon's redness during a lunar eclipse is due to the blue light being more easily scattered in the Earth’s atmosphere than the red light.
“The Moon appears red during lunar eclipses because the only sunlight reaching it is reflected and scattered through the Earth’s atmosphere. Blue light is scattered more easily than red, leaving the Moon with its iconic ‘bloody glow’,” AFP quoted Milligan as saying.
