Total lunar eclipse
Big picture view:
As NASA explains it, during a total lunar eclipse, the earth lines up between the moon and the sun, hiding the moon from sunlight.
Local perspective:
The U.S. witnessed a total lunar eclipse earlier this year in March, but this weekend’s spectacle will unfold on the other side of the world.
Dig deeper:
The entire eclipse will be visible in Asia — from Saudi Arabia to the Philippines, as far north as the Arctic Ocean all the way down to Antarctica — as well as parts of East Africa and the western half of Australia. The rest of Africa and Australia, as well as Europe, will be treated to some but not all of the action. Tidbits will be visible from the Brazilian coast and part of Alaska.
FILE – A blood moon lights up the sky during the total lunar eclipse on March 14, 2025 in Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Chen Shaojin/VCG via Getty Images)
By the numbers:
Totality will last a lengthy one hour and 22 minutes. The entire show will span more than five hours.
How to watch:
If you want to take a peek at the eclipse, a few outlets are providing livestreams, including The Virtual Telescope Project, and Time and Date.
Livestreams begin in the early afternoon hours of Sunday, Sept. 7.
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Full blood moon
Big picture view:
This month’s full moon is the Corn Moon, but you may still see it being referred to as a blood moon. That’s because of the eclipse; a so-called blood moon occurs during a total lunar eclipse because it appears with a reddish hue.
Dig deeper:
During a total lunar eclipse, the only light that reaches the moon’s surface is from the edges of the earth’s atmosphere. The air molecules from Earth’s atmosphere scatter out most of the blue light. The remaining light reflects onto the Moon’s surface with a red glow, making the Moon appear red in the night sky, according to NASA.
What’s next:
Lunar and solar eclipses happen anywhere from four to seven times a year, according to NASA.
The next total lunar eclipse that will be visible in the Americas is March 3, 2026.
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Corn Moon
Meanwhile:
Here in the U.S., the full Corn Moon rises on Sept. 7 and is aptly named for the time of year when corn is harvested throughout much of the U.S. Some Native American tribes even refer to this Moon as the Corn Harvest Moon, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
