This Sunday, a total lunar eclipse will paint the sky red for viewers in Europe, the Middle East, parts of Africa and Asia.

On Sunday evening, a total lunar eclipse will occur that will last almost six hours in all its phases, with a red-copper peak at 21:12 p.m.; this is a safe viewing experience from all over the country, a prelude to the rare solar eclipse that will occur in August 2026 in Egypt, Spain and Iceland (data are according to Israeli summer time (GMT+3)

Today, Sunday, September 7, 9, Israeli residents will witness a rare natural phenomenon – a total lunar eclipse, also known as a “blood moon.” The moon will gradually enter the Earth’s shadow, turning a deep red, and providing viewers with a breathtaking astronomical experience. Unlike a solar eclipse, where the moon obscures the sun and eye protection is required, a lunar eclipse can be viewed with the naked eye from anywhere in the country, and all that is required is a cloudless sky. According to the meteorological forecast, viewing conditions are expected to be particularly good.

The eclipse will begin at 18:28 PM when the moon enters the penumbral shadow – an area where the Earth only blocks part of the sun’s rays. This phase will begin before the moon rises and therefore will not be visible in Israel. The moon will rise in Israel at 18:51 PM, and by then it will already be in partial shadow, although the shadowing is difficult to notice with the naked eye. At 19:27 PM, the more significant part of the process will begin: the moon will enter the penumbral shadow, the area where anyone in it cannot see the sun at all. The shadow will begin to gnaw at the eastern side of the moon, and will grow larger as the hour progresses. At 21:12 PM, the eclipse will reach its peak, with the entire moon in the Earth’s full shadow. For about 40 minutes, until 21:52 PM, the moon will remain in this state, and then the sun’s rays will begin to touch its western side and illuminate it again. At 22:56 PM, the moon will completely exit the full shadow, but will still be in a partial shadow that will accompany it until 23:55 PM – when the total eclipse will end.

"Blood Moon"

During the total phase of the eclipse, the moon turns red. The explanation for this lies in the properties of the Earth's atmosphere. The sun's rays do not reach the moon directly, but are refracted and scattered along the way. The blue light is scattered more and is therefore blocked, while the red light penetrates through the layers of the atmosphere and illuminates the moon. The result is a reddish color that is reminiscent of the appearance of the sky at sunset or sunrise. As Dr. Yigal Fat-El explains, the closer the moon gets to the center of the shadow, the fewer rays of light manage to reach it, and sometimes it seems as if it has almost disappeared from our sight. Its exact color also depends on the state of the atmosphere: after a large volcanic eruption, for example, its color may be particularly dark.

The upcoming eclipse belongs to a group of astronomical phenomena that occur only when the sun, Earth, and moon are in a line – a condition called syzygy. But while a solar eclipse can only be viewed from a narrow strip and lasts only a few minutes, a lunar eclipse is visible to everyone on the night side of the Earth, and can last up to two hours during its total phase. The safety difference is also clear: a solar eclipse requires the use of standard protective glasses, while a lunar eclipse is completely safe to view without protection.

The spectacular phenomenon has accompanied human culture for thousands of years and has given rise to countless myths. The Inca and Maya believed that a celestial jaguar devoured the moon on such nights, and to that end they would shout and throw arrows to scare it away. In Mesopotamia, they believed that the eclipse was an attack by demons on the king, and therefore appointed a "substitute king" to absorb the blow. In ancient China, they used to beat drums to scare away a dragon that had swallowed the moon. The ancient Greeks, on the other hand, found in the eclipse proof of the spherical shape of the Earth, since the shadow cast on the moon was always round. Over the years, the image of the red moon as a "blood moon" has become a popular name that is still recognized today, even if it is not an official scientific term.

Trailer for the Greatest Solar Eclipse of the 21st Century

Sunday's eclipse is not a stand-alone event, but rather a prelude to a series of spectacular celestial events. In about two years, an extremely rare total solar eclipse will occur, visible in parts of Spain, Iceland and Greenland, and reaching its peak in Egypt near the Pyramids of Giza. There is a forecast Total eclipse phase Lasting about six minutes – an unusually long duration compared to regular solar eclipses which usually last only two to three minutes. Spain is expected to offer clear skies and a high chance of stable weather, Iceland will provide a dramatic backdrop of volcanoes and glaciers, while Egypt will provide a unique backdrop of World Heritage sites. Due to its rarity and the unusually long duration of the total eclipse, the solar eclipse of August 2, 2027 is already attracting international attention and is expected to become one of the greatest celestial events of the 21st century.