On Sunday evening, September 7, 2025, the world will witness a rare total lunar eclipse. The eclipse will be fully visible from most parts of Asia and Australia, while parts of it will be visible in Africa and Europe, according to the International Astronomy Center.
total eclipse
Eng. Mohammed Shawkat Odeh, Director of the Center, explained that the moon will begin entering the Earth's penumbra at 03:28 PM GMT, while the partial eclipse will begin at 04:27 PM, followed by the total eclipse at 05:31 PM, peaking at 06:12 PM, and ending at 06:53 PM. The total eclipse will conclude at 08:55 PM GMT.
The world awaits a total lunar eclipse
Awda noted that the eclipse will be visible to the naked eye from 04:15 PM to 08:15 PM GMT, and that the eclipsed moonrise in a number of Arab countries represents a unique opportunity for astronomical photography enthusiasts, especially when it coincides with prominent natural or urban landmarks.
He emphasized that the moon does not disappear completely during a total eclipse, but rather takes on distinct colors such as red or orange as a result of the refraction of sunlight through Earth's atmosphere, a phenomenon known as a "blood moon." The color of the moon is also affected by the purity of Earth's atmosphere; the more polluted it is, the darker the color tends toward red or brown.
It's worth noting that the eclipse will not be fully visible in all Arab countries. The moon will rise eclipsed in the eastern Arab world, while it will appear in the early stages of the eclipse in the central Arab world, and will only be observed in its final stages in the west.
