Stargazers around the world were treated to a dramatic sight last night, Sunday 7 September, as a total lunar eclipse turned the Moon a striking red.

The spectacle, often called a “Blood Moon,” occurred when the Earth moved directly between the Sun and the Moon. Instead of disappearing into darkness, the Moon glowed red because Earth’s atmosphere scattered shorter blue light while allowing red and orange wavelengths to bend around the planet and illuminate its surface.

In South Africa, the eclipse was clearly visible after sunset. The South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) in Cape Town, Western Cape, hosted a public viewing, giving visitors the chance to see the eclipse through telescopes.

Daniel Cunnama, Science Engagement Astronomer at the SAAO, recently told a local publication: “The lunar eclipse happens fairly regularly, more often than a solar eclipse; every couple of years or 18 months, you’ll experience a lunar eclipse.”

For many observers, the rich red glow served as a reminder of the beauty and regularity of these celestial alignments, which have fascinated humans for millennia.

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