Last night, millions of people across the globe witnessed a rare total lunar eclipse that turned the moon a deep, dark red.
Incredible photographs show the Blood Moon shining in the skies above London, Athens, Tokyo and Beijing.
You might feel disappointed if you forgot to look up for it, or didn’t realise it was happening.
But fear not – as experts have revealed when the next one will take place.
The phenomenon occurs when Earth lines up between the moon and the sun, hiding the moon from starlight.
Last night, the rare alignment lasted less than three hours, peaking at 19:33 BST and ending at 21:55 BST.
If you missed it, and are jealous of the amazing photos, you’ve got a little while to wait until the next one.
According to the Royal Museums Greenwich, the next partial lunar eclipse will be on 28 August 2026 – so be sure to mark your calendars now,
The Blood Moon appears from behind the Tokyo Skytree during a total lunar eclipse in the middle of the night above the Japanese capital
The Blood Moon pictured in central Athens, with a statue of the ancient Greek goddess Irene holding a child in the foreground
During a total lunar eclipse, Earth lines up between the moon and the sun, hiding the moon from sunlight. As a result, the moon will turn a deep, dark red – hence the ‘blood moon’ title
Last night’s event was the first time a total lunar eclipse had been seen in the UK since 2022.
During these, the moon usually turns a deep, dark red because it is illuminated by light that has passed through the Earth’s atmosphere and has been bent back towards the Moon by refraction.
‘When this happens, the only light that reaches the moon’s surface is from the edges of the Earth’s atmosphere,’ Royal Museums Greenwich explained.
‘The air molecules from Earth’s atmosphere scatter out most of the blue light.
‘The remaining light reflects onto the moon’s surface with a red glow, making the moon appear red in the night sky.’
A total lunar eclipse occurs at least every two to three years, so skygazers will have to be patient for the next opportunity to see one.
A partial eclipse – which will be next year’s event – occurs when the moon passes through the outer region of the Earth’s shadow, and only a section of it passes through the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow.
On this occasion only half of the moon will be darkened, they explained.
The full moon rises behind The Shard in central London. By this point, it had lost its reddish ‘glow’
Spectators in Berlin, Germany, were able to see the Blood Moon last night. Here, it is pictured rising behind the metal sculpture of an eagle over Oberbaumbruecke bridge
A full moon rises in the sky during a ‘Blood Moon’ total lunar eclipse, as seen from the Sopa Lodge in the Samburu National Reserve in Northern Kenya
The ‘Blood Moon’ is seen over the roof of Yongdingmen Gate on the night of a total lunar eclipse in Beijing, China
Unlike a solar eclipse, it is safe to look at directly as the moon’s reflected light is not as bright.
It is visible to the naked eye, making it easy for anyone to enjoy the spectacle.
Ahead of last night’s event astronomer Tom Kerss said: ‘You don’t need a telescope to take a good photograph of the moon, but if you want to see details on the lunar surface, you’ll want to use the longest lens that you have.’
Anyone trying to boost their chances of a good view were advised to find a high point with a clear view to the east.
WHAT IS A LUNAR ECLIPSE?
An eclipse occurs any time a planet or moon passes between another planet, moon or the sun.
Depending on their orbits, they can be total or partial.
A lunar eclipse is a specific event which happens when Earth lines up directly between the sun and the moon.
When this happens, Earth blocks the light from the sun to the moon. Earth’s shadow then falls on the moon.
During a lunar eclipse, we can see Earth’s shadow on the moon.
They can last for several hours, but it is rare for a period of total eclipse to last longer than 100 minutes.
At least two lunar eclipses happen every year.
The moon will also be slightly closer to the Earth, causing it to appear brighter than usual, dubbed a Super Moon. These unique factors, when combined, result in a ‘Super Blood Wolf Moon’. This graphic shows how a lunar eclipse occurs
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .