Blood Moon tonight: When and how to watch total lunar eclipse

On Sunday night, September 7, many parts of Asia including India and Australia, Europe and Africa will witness a rare astronomical event. This night will be a total lunar eclipse which also known as a blood moon. During this time, the moon will come completely in the shadow of the earth and start shining in red and orange colour. This sight will not be seen until 2026.

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About 85 per cent of the world’s population will be able to see at least a partial part of this eclipse. It will be fully visible in India. People in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Lucknow, Jaipur, Bhopal, Nagpur and Ahmedabad can easily see it. But if the sky is not clear then it will hard to see it. The best way to see it from an open place or rooftop away from light.

A total lunar eclipse is a natural event that happens about once every two and a half years. The Moon looks red during this time because Earth’s atmosphere bends sunlight and scatters its colors, leaving a reddish glow.

Famous Blood Moon in history

The most recent total lunar eclipse occurred on March 14, 2025, and was visible across North and South America, as well as parts of Europe and Africa. The next total lunar eclipse, scheduled for September 7–8, 2025, will be fully visible across Asia, Western Australia, and Eastern Europe. During this rare event, known as a Blood Moon, the Moon takes on a striking reddish hue caused by Earth’s atmosphere scattering sunlight—a natural and awe-inspiring phenomenon that has fascinated humans for centuries.

1. July 31, 1985: A long-duration Blood Moon observed across Africa and Asia.
2. January 31, 2018: Called the “Super Blue Blood Moon,” combining a supermoon, a blue moon, and a total lunar eclipse.
3. January 21, 2019: Known as the “Super Blood Wolf Moon,” visible in North and South America, parts of Europe and Africa.
4. May 26, 2021: A “Super Flower Blood Moon” observed across the Pacific and East Asia.
5. May 15–16, 2022: A total lunar eclipse visible in the Americas and parts of Europe and Africa.
6. September 7–8, 2025: The upcoming Blood Moon, visible across Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe, lasting around 82 minutes.

The eclipse will begin on September 7 at 8:58 pm. The phase of the full eclipse or the blood moon will start at 11 pm and will continue till 12:22 pm. The time for the eclipse to end completely is 2:25 am. During the blood moon, the red colour of the moon will be visible for about 82 minutes.

The blood moon is formed when the earth comes completely between the Sun and the Moon. The shadow of the earth falls on the moon. The earth’s atmosphere filters out the blue rays of the sun and only the red rays reach the moon. Due to this the moon looks red.

This astronomical sight can be seen even without any safety equipment. It is easy to see with binoculars or a telescope, but it is not necessary. This time the blood moon will prove to be a memorable experience for people of all ages.

Watching the blood moon

Watching the blood moon is not just entertainment, but it is also an opportunity to understand astronomy. People can see changes in the shadow, colour and shape of the moon during the eclipse. This is a golden opportunity for children and students to know science closely. If you miss the view on September 7, then you will have to wait for the next Blood Moon till March 2-3, 2026. To see this event, preparation and keeping an eye on the right time is necessary.

Ryan Milligan, an astrophysicist at Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland, said 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.

Senior Planetarium Engineer at Nehru Planetarium, OP Gupta, said: “The eclipse will peak at 11.48 pm and last for 48 minutes. People can watch it easily. It will not harm the eyes…You can even eat and drink during it.” He said: “… This eclipse not only be seen in India but also in Pakistan and China. In Delhi, the penumbral phase (initial phase) will start at 8.58 pm…The partial eclipse will begin at around 9.57 pm… It will peak at around 11.48 pm. Its duration will be a little more than 48 minutes. The complete lunar eclipse will end at 12:22 pm… People can watch it easily. There will be no harm to the eyes. There is nothing to fear. There is no need to take precautions. You can even eat and drink during it. There is a misconception for many years that food spoils during an eclipse. Nothing of the sort happens…”

Lunar eclipse is of three kinds.

Total lunar eclipse: The moon is completely in the Earth’s shadow and takes on a reddish hue.

Partial lunar eclipse: It happens when the Earth’s shadow covers a fraction of the full moon. The shadow expands and then recedes, but never reaches the totality phase.

Penumbral lunar eclipse: A subtle phenomenon where the moon passes through the Earth’s outer shadow, known as the penumbra. The moon appears dimmer than usual.

The most recent blood moon occurred on November 8, 2022. The next one is expected on September 7-8, 2025, and it will be visible across Asia, Africa, Australia and parts of Europe.

Viewing the Blood Moon as it rises in the sky may not be easy, as clear skies will play a major role. In Okhla, the weather is currently cloudy. Resident Shadab Ali said: “I’m excited like many others in the area, but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to see it. People with telescopes will have a better chance of observing it, while many others will likely watch it on TV or YouTube, as the excitement builds before the event.”