How to see the ‘blood moon’ lunar eclipse this Sunday from the UK
On Sunday 7 September, a total lunar eclipse will cause the Moon to glow a deep, dark red in the night sky.
In a total lunar eclipse, the Sun, Earth, and Moon all lie in a straight line, which means the Moon passes through the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow and is illuminated by light that is refracted through the Earth’s atmosphere.
This causes the Moon to turn a dark red colour, which is sometimes called a Blood Moon. This happens because dust in the Earth’s atmosphere blocks higher frequency blue light waves while still allowing most red light to pass through.
The Moon will rise above the horizon just in time for those in the UK to see this total lunar eclipse.
The Royal Observatory website reveals the best moment to watch this eclipse from within the United Kingdom.
The maximum visible moment of the eclipse from the UK will happen at 7:33pm BST on Sunday 7 September. The Moon will then gradually move out of Earth’s shadow until 9:55pm BST, when the eclipse will be over.
During the eclipse maximum, the Blood Moon will be relatively difficult to see as the Moon will still be quite low on the horizon.
Those in the UK aiming to catch a glimpse of the phenomenon should find a high point with a clear view to the East to see as most of the Blood Moon lunar eclipse as possible.
Lunar eclipses occur between two and five times a year, but total lunar eclipses only occur every two or three years, with the last recorded in May 2022.
