Blood Moon in Australia and New Zealand, 8 September 2025

A ‘blood Moon’ complete lunar eclipse will likely be seen throughout Australia and new Zealand within the early hours of 8 September 2025.

During a complete lunar eclipse, the Moon darkens and turns a rusty pink color, making for an attractive sight simply seen with the bare eye.

Find out what else is seen within the sky this month with our Southern Hemisphere stargazing information.

And in contrast to a photo voltaic eclipse, no eclipse glasses or different particular gear is required to see a lunar eclipse.

Here we’ll discover what a lunar eclipse is, what you will see in the course of the occasion and key timings for observing the September 2025 blood Moon in Australia and New Zealand.

Blood Moon defined

A lunar eclipse happens when Earth is positioned between the Sun and the Moon.

You could have realised that these are the identical situations as a full Moon: the Sun, Earth and Moon are positioned so the entire of the Earth-facing facet of the Moon is illuminated by daylight.

But most months throughout full Moon, the alignment is not fairly actual sufficient to trigger a lunar eclipse.

However, when the alignment is excellent, we’re in a position to see Earth’s shadow, forged by daylight, projected on to the Moon.

This is a lunar eclipse.

Sometimes solely a portion of Earth’s shadow hits the Moon. This is a partial lunar eclipse.

And generally the entire of the lunar disc is bathed in Earth’s shadow. This is a complete lunar eclipse.

On 8 September 2025, a complete lunar eclipse will likely be seen from Australia and New Zealand.

What’s extra, the Moon is approaching perigee, which is the purpose in its orbit when it is closest to Earth (and why the October, November and December 2025 full Moons will likely be ‘supermoons’).

That means the Moon will technically look barely greater than ordinary, which may solely be factor, for a lunar eclipse.

Key timings

The partial part of the lunar eclipse – the purpose when Earth’s shadow begins to creep throughout the floor of the Moon – begins at 02:27 AEST (00:27 AWST).

Totality – when the entire of the Earth-facing facet of the Moon is basked in Earth’s shadow – happens at 03:31 AEST (01:31 AWST).

Earth’s shadow covers the entire Moon till 04:53 AEST (02:53 AWST), with the latter partial part ending at 05:57 AEST (03:57 AWST).

This signifies that all of Australia will get to see the blood Moon complete lunar eclipse on 8 September.

New Zealanders, nevertheless, will not get to see the entire thing, as a result of the Moon may have set earlier than the lunar eclipse finishes.

Find out precisely when the lunar eclipse is seen out of your location by checking TimeAndDate.com.

What you will see

During a complete lunar eclipse, Earth’s shadow begins to creep throughout the floor of the Moon.

The Moon darkens as this occurs, and also can flip a rusty pink color, which is why it is typically generally known as a ‘blood Moon’.

“It will be a moderately dark eclipse,” says Glenn Dawes, our resident Southern Hemisphere stargazing skilled, “the northern limb of the Moon reaching the shadow’s centre, mid-eclipse, at 04:12 EST (02:12 AWST) and the southern limb remaining slightly brighter.”

The reddening that offers the ‘blood Moon’ its identify occurs as a result of daylight is passing by way of Earth’s ambiance on its strategy to the Moon.

And as that mild passes by way of our planet’s thick ambiance, it is refracted, inflicting it to look pink.

You do not want any eclipse glasses to watch a lunar eclipse, and it is best to see it completely effectively – climate allowing – with the bare eye.

While you are observing the lunar eclipse, it’s possible you’ll discover a shiny ‘star’ above and to the fitting of the Moon.

This is the planet Saturn, which is seen with the bare eye in the intervening time as a result of it is approaching opposition on 21 September 2025.

The lunar eclipse and Saturn collectively might make for an ideal photograph alternative. For extra data, learn our information on easy methods to {photograph} a lunar eclipse.

And should you miss this one, don’t fret. The subsequent complete lunar eclipse seen from Australia and New Zealand will likely be on 3 March 2026.

Share your lunar eclipse expertise and pictures with us by emailing [email protected]