Blood Moon lunar eclipse over UK this weekend - when and where you can see it

As the full Corn Moon ascends this weekend, a 'Blood Moon' lunar eclipse is set to illuminate the night sky.

This rare celestial event will be visible to over seven billion people worldwide. Depending on your location in the UK, you could witness up to 29 minutes of totality – when the Moon completely enters Earth's umbra, the darkest part of its shadow.

Here's all you need to know about theSeptember 2025 Blood Moon, including precise eclipse timings for the UK, why the Moon will turn red, and the best way to view the eclipse. Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

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When is the September 2025 Blood Moon?

On Sunday, September 7 2025, the Corn Moon – September's full Moon – will rise as a breathtaking lunar eclipse, reports the Manchester Evening News.

This phenomenon happens 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 breakdown of the key moments for this weekend's lunar eclipse, according to the tracking website Time and Date. All timings 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 living in eastern areas of England will get the best view of the spectacle in its entirety. For example, Great Yarmouth on the east coast will witness nearly 29 minutes of the phenomenon, whilst other regions across the UK might only catch a few minutes.

Manchester residents will see the Moon appear at 7.41pm, providing 11 minutes of the total eclipse. Western areas – encompassing sections of Wales, Scotland, and the whole of Northern Ireland – will only witness a partial lunar eclipse.

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Why is it dubbed a Blood Moon?

When the Moon moves into Earth's shadow during a lunar eclipse, it transforms into a striking orange-red colour because of how sunlight bounces through our planet's atmosphere. This explains why a total lunar eclipse is also known as a Blood Moon.

The Moon usually gleams brilliant white across the night sky, but when Earth partly obstructs sunlight reaching the Moon, our dense atmosphere disperses blue light whilst permitting red wavelengths to filter through, coating the Moon in a copper-like radiance.

This mirrors the same mechanism that creates red sunsets. NASA explains the spectacle as though "all the world's sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the Moon."

What is the Corn Moon?

This weekend's celestial spectacle is a lunar eclipse of the Corn Moon, September's full moon moniker. The Corn Moon gets its name from the time of year when crops are harvested at the end of the summer season.

According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, corn harvesting in North America takes place around this time, in late summer-early autumn. It's also often referred to as the Harvest Moon, being the closest full moon to the autumnal equinox.

Here's how you can catch a glimpse of the Blood Moon from the UK

To get the best view of the eclipse, find a spot with an unobstructed view of the eastern horizon before the moon rises at approximately 7.30pm on Sunday. If you're city-based, your best shot is to find a hill or a well-known viewpoint, away from towering buildings.

You don't need any fancy gear to see a lunar eclipse, but binoculars or a telescope might enhance your viewing experience of the Blood Moon. However, cloud cover could hamper visibility of the event, so it's worth checking your local weather forecast beforehand.

If you're fortunate 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.

Wondering 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.