The world witnessed a spectacular Blood Moon lunar eclipse on Sunday, 7 September 2025. For more than 80 minutes, the moon glowed a deep red as Earth passed directly between the sun and the moon.
Sky gazers share images of the Blood Moon
According to NASA, this happens because the Earth blocks sunlight from reaching the moon. Only light filtered through our atmosphere bends around the planet and reflects on the moon.
Blue light is scattered away, leaving behind shades of red and orange, which makes the moon look like it is glowing.
This event was visible in South Africa and many other countries, where sky gazers shared photos online showing the moon in vivid red tones.
In Cape Town, people gathered at Lion’s Head and Signal Hill to watch, while others across Johannesburg and Durban shared pictures of the moon against clear skies.
The total eclipse reached its peak at 20:11 (SAST) on Sunday night. At this point, the moon was completely covered by Earth’s shadow, making the red colour strongest.
Table Mountain National Park had warned earlier in the week about heavy traffic near popular viewing spots. Spokesperson JP Louw said:
“We expect high volumes of people heading to these areas. We urge the public to exercise caution and patience, and to respect safety protocols when visiting the mountain at night.”
Despite the congestion, many people braved the crowds to witness what astronomers have called one of the longest and most vivid lunar eclipses in recent years.
Here are some of the best pictures of the Blood Moon taken by avid sky gazers around the world:
Why this Blood Moon stood out
Lunar eclipses happen a few times a year, but not all of them are total eclipses where the entire moon is covered.
What made this event stand out was the length of time — just over 82 minutes — that the moon stayed red.
Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely safe to view with the naked eye.
No special glasses or filters were needed, which meant people of all ages could safely watch and capture the moment.
Three supermoons still to come in 2025
The Blood Moon eclipse is just the start of a busy year for sky watchers.
The next three full moons — October’s Harvest Moon, November’s Beaver Moon, and December’s Cold Moon — will all be supermoons.
A supermoon happens when the moon is slightly closer to Earth than usual, making it appear larger and brighter in the night sky. While the difference is subtle, most people can notice the bigger glow, especially when the moon is near the horizon.
In addition, a partial solar eclipse will follow in two weeks, visible in parts of the Southern Hemisphere.
Beyond astronomy, the Blood Moon also holds symbolic meaning in astrology.
Astrologers often describe it as a time of release, transformation, or heightened emotions, as lunar eclipses are linked to endings and new beginnings.
While interpretations vary, many people see the Blood Moon as a chance to reflect on personal changes. For those interested in astrology, the coming sequence of supermoons is also seen as a period of heightened energy leading into the end of the year.