Skywatchers across the UK can look forward to a stunning Blood Moon on Sunday evening
The September 2025 Blood Moon will glow in skies across the world this weekend(Image: Getty Images)
This weekend marks the final full Moon of summer in the northern hemisphere, and with it comes a total lunar eclipse, also known as a Blood Moon.
On Sunday (September 7), the Corn Moon will rise – but, at first, it won’t look like a typical full Moon. Instead, it will take on a deep red hue during a rare total lunar eclipse.
A lunar eclipse happens when the Sun, Moon and Earth align so that our lunar companion passes into Earth’s shadow, often turning the Moon a striking red.
The cosmic event marks the first time a lunar eclipse can be seen in the UK since 2022. Brits won’t get to see the entire event from start to finish, but we’ll be able to catch the second half – and some UK sky watchers will even be able to witness nearly 29 minutes of totality.
The phases of a total lunar eclipse, known as a Blood Moon(Image: Getty Images)
Lucky observers in the easternmost parts of Africa, the Middle East, most of Asia and western Australia will be able to see the whole total lunar eclipse.
Here’s everything you need to know about seeing the lunar eclipse from the UK.
Timings of the Blood Moon lunar eclipse in UK
Here’s a breakdown of the key moments for this weekend’s lunar eclipse, according to the tracking website Time and Date. All timings are in UK time (BST):
- Penumbral phase: 4.28pm (before moonrise)
- Partial eclipse begins: 5.27pm (before moonrise)
- Total Eclipse begins: 6.30pm (before moonrise)
- Maximum eclipse: 7.11pm (about 20 minutes before moonrise)
- Moonrise: 7.30pm
- Total eclipse ends: 7.52pm
- Partial eclipse ends: 8.56pm
- Penumbral eclipse ends: 9.55pm
Those in the most south-southeastern parts of the UK will be treated to the longest view of totality – up to nearly half an hour – while some areas will only be able to see a partial lunar eclipse.
Some of the total lunar eclipse on September 7 will be visile to parts of the UK(Image: Timeanddate)
To find out the duration of totality visible from where you live, see our full list here.
How to see the Blood Moon
Unlike a solar eclipse, which can only be viewed safely through a filtered lens, lunar eclipses can be seen relatively easily.
This weekend’s celestial event requires no special equipment and will be visible to the naked eye, providing skies are clear.
However, since totality ends just 20 minutes after moonrise, a clear view of the eastern horizon is essential for catching a glimpse of the low-lying Blood Moon.
Why is a Blood Moon red?
A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth moves between the Moon and the Sun. As this happens, the Moon turns an eerie shade of orange-red due to the way sunlight is reflected through the Earth’s atmosphere. This is why a total lunar eclipse is also called a Blood Moon.
A Blood Moon glows red due to the way Earth’s atmosphere filters sunlight(Image: Getty Images)
The Moon typically shines a brilliant white in the night sky, but when the Earth partially blocks sunlight to the Moon, its thick atmosphere scatters blue light and allows red wavelengths to pass through, bathing the Moon in a coppery glow.
Will UK skies be clear for the Blood Moon?
Met Office cloud cover maps show clear skies above parts of southwest England and Wales at 7pm, just before the Blood Moon.
Met Office cloud cover forecast for 7pm on September 7, just before the eclipse in the UK(Image: The Met Office)
However, current forecasts indicate large parts of England, Scotland and parts of Wales and Northern Ireland could be impacted by cloud cover at the time of the eclipse.
That said, Met Office map currently show a large area of clear skies to the west of the UK. As weather patterns can evolve over time, there is still a chance that skies will be clear by the time of the eclipse. Forecasts will become more accurate closer to the event, so be sure to keep up to date with local weather updates.