NAIROBI, Kenya – Stargazers across Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe will be treated to a dramatic celestial show this Sunday, September 7, 2025, as a total lunar eclipse — popularly known as a Blood Moon — lights up the night sky.
The eclipse, the longest since 2022, will feature a totality lasting one hour and 22 minutes, during which the Moon will glow a deep red as Earth’s shadow fully engulfs it.
According to NASA, the phenomenon occurs when the Moon slips into Earth’s umbra — the darkest part of its shadow — causing sunlight filtered through the atmosphere to scatter.
Shorter wavelengths like blue are blocked, while longer red and orange rays bend toward the Moon, giving it its haunting hue.
“Because these longer wavelengths make it through Earth’s atmosphere, the Moon appears orangish or reddish during a lunar eclipse,” NASA explained, noting that the exact shade depends on dust and cloud cover.
Where it will be visible
Observers in Asia — including India and China — will have the best views, while the spectacle will also be visible across the eastern edge of Africa and parts of western Australia.
In total, about 6.2 billion people are expected to see the entire eclipse, while smaller regions such as Hawaii, Alaska, and parts of Brazil may catch at least a partial view.
Most of the Americas, however, will miss out as the event coincides with daylight hours.
Timing of the eclipse
- Begins: 6:28 pm EAT
- Totality: 8:30 pm – 9:52 pm EAT
- Ends: 11:55 pm EAT
The entire sequence will last roughly five and a half hours, offering ample opportunity for skywatchers to observe.
A rare spectacle
This will be the first total lunar eclipse of 2025, following the one in March earlier this year.
The next Blood Moon will not occur until March 3, 2026, visible across East Asia, Australia, the Pacific and the Americas.
For sky enthusiasts, Sunday’s eclipse is more than just a scientific event — it’s a chance to witness the heavens put on one of their most breathtaking performances.
