Blood Moon to Stun Skies Over Asia in Rare Total Lunar Eclipse
A dramatic celestial show is set to unfold this Sunday as the Sun, Earth, and Moon align, casting Earth’s shadow across its lunar companion and turning it a striking shade of red.
The phenomenon, known as a total lunar eclipse, will be most visible across Asia, including India and China, with glimpses also possible from western Australia and the eastern edge of Africa. The eclipse will last from 17:30 GMT to 18:52 GMT.
Viewers in parts of Europe and Africa may catch the Moon slipping into partial eclipse as it rises in the evening sky, but the Americas will miss the event entirely.
The Moon’s eerie crimson glow, often called a “blood moon,” happens because sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere before reaching the lunar surface. Shorter blue wavelengths scatter, while longer red wavelengths continue, giving the Moon its fiery color, explained Ryan Milligan, an astrophysicist at Queen’s University Belfast.
Unlike solar eclipses, which require protective eyewear, a lunar eclipse can be enjoyed with the naked eye — weather permitting.
This will be the second total lunar eclipse of the year, following one in March. Milligan, a veteran eclipse chaser who has witnessed 12 total solar eclipses worldwide, says Sunday’s lunar spectacle is just a warm-up for next year’s “big one.”
On August 12, 2026, a rare total solar eclipse will sweep across a narrow strip of Europe, the first on the continent since 2006. The path of totality — about 160 kilometers wide — will stretch between Madrid and Barcelona, though neither city will see the eclipse in its entirety. Spain and Iceland will be the only countries with full totality, while much of Europe will experience a deep partial eclipse.
That event will follow the total solar eclipse that crossed North America in April 2024, promising yet another unforgettable moment for skywatchers.
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