Rare 'blood moon' lunar eclipse to grace Taiwan's night sky on Sept. 8

Taipei, Aug. 30 (CNA) A total lunar eclipse, an astronomical event often referred to as a "blood moon," will be visible to skywatchers in Taiwan starting around midnight on Sept. 8, the Taipei Astronomical Museum announced on Friday.

The phenomenon is also called "blood moon" due to the reddish-orange hue it takes on when the Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon, completely blocking direct sunlight from reaching the lunar surface.

The only light is refracted by the Earth's atmosphere, and its red wavelengths are bent toward the Moon, illuminating it in a dramatic crimson light.

Describing the event as the most important astronomical phenomenon of 2025, the museum said the eclipse will begin at around 11 p.m. on Sept. 7 as the Moon enters the Earth's partial shadow.

The eclipse will start at 0:27 a.m. on Sept. 8, when the Moon begins entering the Earth's full shadow. The period of totality, when the Moon is completely in the earth's shadow and appears dark red, will last from 1:31 a.m. to 2:53 a.m.

This will be the first total lunar eclipse fully visible from Taiwan since 2018, the museum noted, recommending that stargazers find a location with an unobstructed view of the southwestern sky for the best viewing.

In addition to the main event, the museum noted a few other celestial treats for observers.

The Beehive Cluster (Praesepe) and Venus will appear together in the night sky on Monday, and on Sept. 13, the last quarter moon will be seen near the Pleiades star cluster (Messier 45), also known as the Seven Sisters.