This Sunday, September 7, Europe will witness a rare spectacle in the night sky: a blood-red full moon during the longest total lunar eclipse since 2022. For 82 minutes, the Earth will block sunlight from reaching the moon, leaving only refracted red light to paint its surface.
Throughout history, blood moons have been surrounded by myths. Ancient cultures often saw them as ominous signs of war, death or disaster. Others, such as the Batammaliba in West Africa, interpreted them as a call for peace and reconciliation.
Today, astronomy and astrology view the phenomenon differently. Scientists like Dr Florian Freistetter stress that lunar eclipses are well understood and purely aesthetic wonders. Astrologers, however, see deeper meaning, interpreting the blood moon as a potential turning point for personal or collective renewal.
Whatever one believes, the eclipse promises a striking natural show. From superstition to science, the blood moon continues to fascinate — a reminder of humanity’s enduring bond with the night sky.
