Australia has seats at the forefront of the lunar eclipse of the “Moon Blood Moon” on Monday: here is when and how to look at it | Lunar eclipses

Set your alarm, pray for a clear sky and prepare to be amazed in the early hours of Monday morning, when Australia becomes the privileged location to attend a rare total lunar eclipse.

A blood moon, as it is called, occurs when the earth passes directly between the sun and the moon, throwing its shadow on the lunar surface. The moon takes on a dark red shade, giving it a surreal, even strange appearance.

What time is the blood moon in Australia?

Around 2:27 a.m. on Monday, the moon will start to enter the shadow of the earth. At 3:30 am, it will be completely immersed in the darkest part, shining a deep and brown red. This phase, known as totality, will last up to 4 h 42, offering more than 70 minutes of surreal lunar beauty. The eclipse will end at 5:56 am.

Where can you see the blood moon?

Western Australians should be able to take advantage of particularly striking views, according to Laura Drissen, astronomer from the University of Sydney, with the moon raised above. In the Eastern States, the moon will be low on the western horizon, which can create the illusion that it is greater than usual. For Perth viewers, the eclipse starts at 12:27 p.m. local time and will end at 2:57 a.m.

“We get lunar eclipses once every two years, but they are not always queue for Australia,” says Drisesen.

“This one is really special because the whole country can see the best parts – when the moon enters the darkest part of the shadow of the earth and becomes red.

“You don’t need special equipment to see it, and you don’t even have to be in a particularly dark place. As long as the sky is clear, you can see it anywhere in Australia.”

Dr. Tanya Hill, principal conservative of astronomy at the Victoria museums, describes how shadow slides slowly through the moon until it is completely engulfed in the crimson light.

“From the earth, we will see the shadow move slowly on the face of the moon, until the moon is completely engulfed and becomes deep red.”

This eclipse is particularly favorable to Australia because the country is perfectly on the side of the earth during alignment. Although another is expected next year, Driesssen thinks that Australians will not see another as spectacular as that predicted on Monday before 2028.

This one, she says, is really worthwhile to wake up.

The other well -placed regions to see the eclipse include China, India, the Philippines and certain parts of Africa. But most North and South America will miss it entirely, because they will be on the sunny side of the planet during the event.

Throughout history, blood moons have sparked fear and superstition. Ancient cultures from Norses to South America, from Amerindians to the Chinese, interpreted the Red Moon as a sign of divine anger or supernatural conflict. Some ancient cultures believed that the moon was attacked by malicious forces. Even the biblical texts have warned that “the sun will be transformed into darkness and the moon into blood before the day of the Lord comes, this great and terrible day”.

Science may have demystified the phenomenon, but the visual spectacle promises to be just as powerful – and a little poetic.

For more information on science behind the blood moon, go to https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2025-septembember-7