Here’s everything you need to know about the September 2025 Blood Moon
As the Corn Moon rises this weekend, a ‘Blood Moon’ lunar eclipse is set to light up the night sky.
This rare celestial spectacle will be visible to over seven billion people across the globe. Depending on where you are in the UK, you could witness up to 29 minutes of totality – when the Moon fully enters Earth’s umbra, the darkest part of its shadow.
Here’s everything you need to know about the September 2025 Blood Moon, including exact eclipse timings for the UK, why the Moon will turn red, and the best way to view the eclipse. Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
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When is the September 2025 Blood Moon?
On Sunday, 7 September 2025, the Corn Moon – September’s full Moon – will rise as a stunning lunar eclipse, according to the Manchester Evening News, reports the Mirror.
This phenomenon occurs when the Moon, Sun, and Earth align perfectly, causing the Moon to move out of the Sun’s rays and into Earth’s shadow. While the full eclipse will be visible across the easternmost parts of Africa, the Middle East, most of Asia and western Australia, observers in the UK will catch the second half of the eclipse.
The event marks the second Blood Moon of 2025, following a partial lunar eclipse that graced UK skies before dawn in March. The last time the UK witnessed a total lunar eclipse was in 2022, making this weekend’s eclipse a rare treat for stargazers.
Exact time to see the Blood Moon in UK.
Here’s a rundown of the key timings for this weekend’s lunar eclipse, as per the tracking website Time and Date. All times are in UK time (BST):
- Penumbral phase: 4.28pm (before moonrise)
- Partial eclipse begins: 5.27pm (before moonrise)
- Total Eclipse begins: 6.30pm (before moonrise)
- Maximum eclipse: 7.11pm (about 20 minutes before moonrise)
- Moonrise: 7.30pm
- Total eclipse ends: 7.52pm
- Partial eclipse ends: 8.56pm
- Penumbral eclipse ends: 9.55pm
Those residing in the eastern parts of England will have the best view of the spectacle in its entirety. For instance, those in Great Yarmouth on the east coast will experience nearly 29 minutes of the phenomenon, while other regions across the UK might only glimpse a few minutes.
In Manchester, the Moon will make its appearance at 7.41pm, offering 11 minutes of the total eclipse. Western areas – including parts of Wales, Scotland, and all of Northern Ireland – will only see a partial lunar eclipse.
Why is it called a Blood Moon?
During a lunar eclipse, when the Moon moves into Earth’s shadow, it turns a striking orange-red colour due to the way sunlight refracts through our planet’s atmosphere. This is why a total lunar eclipse is also referred to as a Blood Moon.
Typically, the Moon shines a brilliant white across the night sky, but when Earth partially blocks sunlight reaching the Moon, our dense atmosphere scatters blue light while allowing red wavelengths to pass through, bathing the Moon in a copper-like glow.
This is the same process that results in red sunsets. NASA describes the spectacle as if “all the world’s sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the Moon.”
What is the Corn Moon?
This weekend, stargazers are in for a treat with a lunar eclipse of the Corn Moon, the name given to September’s full moon. The moniker ‘Corn Moon’ originates from the time of year when crops are typically harvested at the end of the summer season.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac explains that corn harvesting in North America usually occurs around this period, in late summer-early autumn. This moon is also frequently referred to as the Harvest Moon, as it’s the closest full moon to the autumnal equinox.
Here’s how you can witness the Blood Moon from the UK.
To secure the best view of the eclipse, locate a spot with an unblocked view of the eastern horizon before the moon rises at approximately 7.30pm on Sunday. If you’re based in a city, your optimal chance is to find a hill or a well-known viewpoint, away from towering buildings.
There’s no need for any special equipment to observe a lunar eclipse, but binoculars or a telescope might enhance your viewing experience of the Blood Moon. However, cloud cover could obstruct visibility of the event, so it’s worth checking your local weather forecast beforehand.
If you’re lucky enough to have clear skies during the eclipse, keep an eye out for Saturn near the full moon. Positioned to the east of the moon, the ringed planet will resemble a bright star in the sky.
Curious about when the next Blood Moon is?
The next lunar eclipse visible in the UK will be on 28 August, 2026. The first half of the event will be visible at dawn, before the moon sets at around 6.15am.
However, the lunar excitement doesn’t stop there for 2025: The full Moons of October, November and December are all supermoons, making them appear significantly larger than usual in the night sky.
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