Fresh on the heels of August’s black moon is September’s full moon this weekend, which will be among the most interesting full moons of 2025. It’s coming with a total lunar eclipse, making it a blood moon. If you’re in the US, you won’t be able to see the upcoming lunar eclipse, but the moon should still appear redder than usual.
The total lunar eclipse, which takes place on Sunday, will be visible primarily in Asia, Australia, Eastern Europe and Eastern Africa. Most of the rest of Europe and Africa will see a partial eclipse, while North and South America are left out this time around.
A blood moon occurs only during a total lunar eclipse, when the moon angles behind the Earth in such a way that the Earth blocks much of the sun’s light. What’s left passes through Earth’s atmosphere on its way to the moon, which filters out the blue light. That leaves only the sun’s red light to hit the moon and reflect to Earth, giving it a reddish glow.
This effect lasts roughly two hours and will be visible only in the regions that can witness the lunar eclipse.
According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, September’s full moon, also known as the corn moon, will see peak brightness at around 2:09 p.m. ET on Sunday. Since that’s the middle of the day, the best time to view the corn moon will be at night during Saturday or Sunday. The moon will remain almost full for a couple of days immediately before and after Sunday, giving you several days to view the full moon.
How rare are lunar eclipses?
Total lunar eclipses are less frequent than partial eclipses, making September’s full moon a special occasion for those in the eclipse’s path. Since the Earth and the moon have stable orbits, they are also entirely predictable. The last lunar eclipse occurred in March 2025, with the one before in November 2022.
The next total eclipse is due in March 2026, but it will take place primarily in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, where virtually no one will be able to see it. The next five will be New Year’s Eve in 2028, June 2029, December 2029 and then two more in 2032. Of those, only the one in 2029 will be visible in the US.
Can I livestream the lunar eclipse?
You can livestream the lunar eclipse! Numerous websites, including Time and Date, Fox Weather and the Royal Observatory in Greenwich will livestream the happenings. Per Time and Date, the eclipse should last an hour and 22 minutes, starting at around 15:28 UTC, or 11:28 a.m. ET on Sunday.
