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Total Lunar Eclipse – September 7, 2025
August 25, 2025
On Sunday evening, September 7, 2025, observers in the Netherlands and Belgium can witness the Earth’s full shadow sweep across the Moon. Known as the Blood Moon, this total lunar eclipse will bathe the lunar surface in a deep red glow.
Scientific Background
A total lunar eclipse occurs when Earth positions itself directly between the Sun and the Moon, blocking direct sunlight. Sunlight filtering through Earth’s atmosphere bends toward the Moon, with longer red wavelengths reaching the surface and giving it a crimson hue. The event unfolds in three stages: the penumbral phase (partial shadow), the partial phase (portion of the Moon in the umbra), and the total phase (Moon entirely within the umbra).
Each stage offers unique sights: a subtle dimming in the penumbra, distinct “bites” in the partial phase, and an intense copper-red glow during totality.
Global Visibility
This eclipse is visible from large parts of the world under clear skies.
Europe, including Scandinavia and Southern Europe, will see the eclipse at moonrise.
Observers in Africa and Australia can follow the entire sequence high in the sky.
Parts of Asia, such as India and China, catch the final stages before Moonset.
North and South America will miss the event, with the Moon below the horizon.
The Eclipsemap of September 7, 2025
Viewing Tips for Amateur Astronomers
Choose a site with an unobstructed southeast horizon, such as a beach dune, open field, or city park.
Mount your camera on a sturdy tripod and use a remote or timer to eliminate shake.
Start exposures at 1/125 s, f/5.6, ISO 400 and lengthen to 1–2 s, f/4, ISO 800 during totality.
Focus on the lunar limb just before each phase transition to capture the sharpest edges.
Use a planetarium app to track the Moon’s path and the advancing shadow in real time.
Live Streams and Events
Several observatories and astronomy clubs are hosting watch parties and online broadcasts:
Leiden Observatory will provide an expert-led livestream.
Planetarium Cultuurstad in Mechelen is hosting a public lecture with live footage.
Maik’s Astro Garden goes live on YouTube at 18:50 CEST with an exclusive live stream and Q&A.
Local astronomy societies will offer telescopes and guides for on-site viewing.
Astrological and Cultural Significance
This Blood Moon coincides with the Harvest Full Moon, symbolizing abundance and transition.
Astrologers note the Moon in Pisces emphasizes empathy, intuition, and emotional release.
Many traditions view a red lunar eclipse as a moment for purification and renewal rituals.
In Eastern European folklore, sacrifices were once made to ward off malevolent spirits during the red Moon.
History and Folklore
Lunar eclipses have inspired awe and fear since ancient times.
Mesopotamian priests regarded the Blood Moon as an omen of royal upheaval.
In China, people once drummed on pots to “chase away” the shadow from the Moon.
Native American tribes saw the event as a call to consult their elders and seers.
Today, we celebrate it as both a striking natural spectacle and a scientific marvel.
What’s Next?
After this eclipse, the next total lunar eclipse visible from our region won’t occur until 2029.
Mark your calendars, plan observing trips, and consider joining global citizen science programs that compile eclipse imagery for atmospheric and climate studies.
For more information, explore the impact of atmospheric aerosol concentrations on the Blood Moon’s coloration and get involved with international citizen science initiatives gathering data for climate research.
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