A spectacle was observed in the night sky in many places around the world on Sunday evening: a total lunar eclipse. In the meantime, the Moon shimmered reddish in colour. Here are some of the most beautiful images of this natural phenomenon.
Blood moon shines over Asia
The so-called blood Moon was most clearly visible over Asia. It was also visible in parts of East Africa and Australia for the full length of one hour and 22 minutes.
In Germany, the lunar eclipse was visible at around 8 pm CET. In Rome, the moon shone through the famous statue of the Capitoline she-wolf in the meantime.
When does a lunar eclipse occur?
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon is exactly in line with the Earth and the Sun. The sun casts the Earth's shadow onto the moon, darkening it. After the total eclipse, the moon remains partially covered by the Earth's shadow, as could also be seen in Lisbon.
The glowing red colour of the moon, which could be observed in Pakistan and elsewhere, is due to the Earth's atmosphere refracting the sunlight and casting the long-wave, red light components onto the moon.
Anyone who missed the lunar eclipse and is now hoping for the next one will have to be patient: The natural spectacle will not be visible again until New Year's Eve 2028.
