Experience the Celestial Spectacle: The 'Blood Moon' Awaits!

Mark your calendars for the night of September 7-8, as the Earth stages a breathtaking cosmic event—this year's second and final total lunar eclipse. Brace yourselves for an awe-inspiring spectacle that will last over five hours, peaking with a striking 82-minute phase of totality, during which Earth's vast shadow casts a ghostly red hue over the moon—giving rise to the captivating term "blood moon."

The Eclipse You Can't See in the U.S.—But Don't Worry!

Unfortunately, skywatchers in the United States are left out of this enchanting astronomical display. The eclipse kicks off at 11:28 a.m. EDT (15:28 UTC), moments after the full moon bids farewell to North and South America. This means that much of the Western Hemisphere will miss the show entirely, according to experts.

Where to Catch the Action: Asia and Australia Have Front Row Seats!

Luckily, the best views of the eclipse will be reserved for Asia and Western Australia, where around 6 billion people—nearly 77% of the planet’s population—will enjoy the full spectacle. Meanwhile, many in Europe and Africa will catch glimpses of at least part of the totality phase, which wraps up by 20:55 UTC globally.

Join the Fun Online: Live Stream the 'Blood Moon'!

Don’t fret if you’re in North America! Thanks to the Virtual Telescope Project in Italy, you can still witness this phenomenal event through a free livestream. Tune in on September 7 at 1:45 p.m. EDT (17:45 UTC) to watch as the partially eclipsed moon rises over Italy, reaching totality just 45 minutes later. You can catch all the action on the Virtual Telescope Project’s YouTube channel.

What Causes the Mysterious Red Glow?

Wondering why the moon turns blood-red? This enchanting coloration is a result of Rayleigh scattering, where particles in Earth's atmosphere cunningly scatter various wavelengths of light. As sunlight curves around Earth’s edge, shorter blue wavelengths are scattered away, allowing the longer red wavelengths to illuminate the moon's surface—creating the stunning visual effect of a "blood moon." Don't miss this spectacular celestial event!