Overview

• A total lunar eclipse on the night of September 7–8 turned the full Moon red for viewers across Asia, Australia, Europe and Africa, with broad visibility confirmed by live reports and images.
• NASA said totality began around 17:30 UTC and lasted about 82 minutes; in India, partial phases ran from 9:57 pm to 1:26 am IST with totality roughly 11:00 pm to 12:22 am.
• The crimson hue arose as Earth’s atmosphere scattered blue light and refracted red/orange wavelengths onto the lunar surface, and experts reiterated that lunar eclipses are safe to watch with the naked eye.
• Indian observatories, including the Indian Institute of Astrophysics and Nehru Planetarium, streamed the event as global projects like the Virtual Telescope Project and Time and Date carried live feeds, though clouds obscured views in some areas.
• Religious and astrological observances in India accompanied the spectacle, with guidance on sutak and charity shared by priests and astrologers; scientists noted the next total lunar eclipse is on March 3, 2026, with India next seeing a total one on December 31, 2028.