On the night of September 7-8, 2025, a total lunar eclipse will occur, causing the moon to turn a deep red color, which is why it's known as a "blood moon." The event is completely safe to view with the naked eye and will last for approximately 82 minutes. The redness is caused by a phenomenon called Rayleigh scattering, where Earth's atmosphere filters out shorter blue light wavelengths, allowing longer red and orange wavelengths to reach the moon's surface.
Stages of the Eclipse
The eclipse will progress through several distinct phases:
Penumbral Phase: The moon first enters the faint outer part of Earth's shadow (the penumbra).
5 The change is subtle and may be difficult to notice at first, appearing as a slight dimming of the moon's surface.Partial Eclipse: The moon begins to enter the darkest part of Earth's shadow (the umbra), creating a noticeable dark "bite" on the lunar disk. This shadow will grow as the moon moves further into the umbra.
Totality: This is the peak of the eclipse. The entire moon is within Earth's umbra and will turn a striking crimson or coppery-red color. The exact shade can vary depending on atmospheric conditions, such as dust, volcanic ash, and cloud cover.
Final Phases: After totality, the moon will gradually exit the umbra and then the penumbra, with the process in reverse. The moon will return to its normal bright, full-moon appearance.
The eclipse will be visible across much of Asia, Australia, Africa, and Europe. In India, the penumbral phase begins at 8:58 PM IST on September 7, with totality starting at 11:00 PM IST and ending at 12:22 AM IST on September 8.