It will be the longest total eclipse since 2022
The Moon turns rust-coloured during a total lunar eclipse(Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)
September will be an exciting month for stargazers as a blood moon total lunar eclipse will take place on September 7. For those of us in the UK and western Europe, we may be able to catch a bit of totality as the Moon rises but will not see it in its entirety.
It will be the longest total eclipse since 2022 and will be marked on the calendars of all space lovers. Explaining what is meant by a total lunar eclipse, space agency NASA says: “The Moon moves into the inner part of Earth’s shadow, or the umbra. Some of the sunlight passing through Earth’s atmosphere reaches the Moon’s surface, lighting it dimly.
“Colours with shorter wavelengths ― the blues and violets ― scatter more easily than colours with longer wavelengths, like red and orange. Because these longer wavelengths make it through Earth’s atmosphere, and the shorter wavelengths have scattered away, the Moon appears orangish or reddish.”
The September full moon is known as the Corn Moon., the full moon next month is also a total lunar eclipse, making it a “Corn Moon eclipse.” The best places to see all of the September 7, 2025 Blood Moon total lunar eclipse will be in Asia, western Australia and the very eastern parts of Africa.
The cosmic event can also be observed in Antarctica, the western Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon usually turns a deep, dark red because it is illuminated by light that has passed through the Earth’s atmosphere and has been bent back towards the Moon by refraction.
According to Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG), on September 7, the Moon will rise above the horizon just in time for us to see this total lunar eclipse from the UK. The maximum will occur at 7.33pm BST from the UK, with the eclipse’s actual maximum at 7.11pm when the Moon is below the horizon.
The Moon will then “gradually move out of Earth’s umbra” and penumbra until 9.55pm. As the Moon will be low on the horizon and quite difficult to see, RMG suggest finding a high point with a clear view to the East to see the most of this eclipse.
A lunar eclipse happens between two to five times a year, with a total lunar eclipse occurring at least twice every three years. Since the Earth is around four times wider than the Moon, its shadow can darken the moon for up to five hours depending on conditions.
NASA has shared tips for how to stargaze properly, they suggest you need dark skies away from city lights to see more stars. The space agency adds: “Getting farther way from population centres is key.
“There are some other factors that can enhance your stargazing. Being at higher altitude helps, because you’ll be above the dense air at low altitudes that contains hazes, fog, and smoke that mask your view of the stars.”
Unlike a solar eclipse, lunar eclipses are safe to view with the naked eye. This is because lunar eclipses only reflect sunlight – they don’t get any brighter than a full Moon.
Upcoming lunar eclipses:
September 7, 2025 – Total (visible in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia)
March 3, 2026 – Total (visible in East Asia, Australia, Pacific, Americas)
August 28, 2026 – Partial (visible in East Pacific, Americas, Europe, Africa)