Blood Moon 2025: Exact UK times to see the total lunar eclipse on 7 September

When and where to watch in the UK

Mark your calendar: Sunday, 7 September 2025 is the night the Moon climbs above the UK horizon already in Earth’s shadow. It’s the country’s first total lunar eclipse since 2022, and there won’t be another until August 2026. The twist this time is timing—Britain misses the first half, so the Moon rises already darkened and deep red.

Here’s the official timeline in British Summer Time (BST): the penumbral eclipse begins at 4:28pm, the partial phase bites in at 5:27pm, totality starts at 6:30pm, and the eclipse peaks at 7:11pm. Moonrise follows at about 7:30pm for much of England and Wales, a little later across Scotland and Northern Ireland. Totality ends at 7:52pm, the partial phase wraps at 8:56pm, and the faint penumbral shading fades by 9:55pm.

Because the Moon is below the horizon for the early stages, UK observers join the action late—but not too late. You’ll catch the Moon already in total eclipse as it lifts over the eastern skyline, glowing a rusty red against twilight. The Royal Observatory lists 7:33pm as the sweet spot to start watching from the UK, with the show continuing for about two hours and twenty minutes until the final penumbral traces vanish.

Visibility does change by region. Parts of the southeast could squeeze in around 29 minutes of totality before the red gives way to a brightening limb. The farther north and west you go, the later the Moon rises and the less totality you’ll see above the horizon. Don’t stress about exact minutes; if you’ve got a clear eastern view from roughly 7:25pm onward, you’re in business.

Weather will make or break the view. Forecasts point to the best odds of clear or broken cloud in southwest England and some eastern counties. The east and northeast may see cloud thin out by evening, and that’s often enough—eclipsed moons punch through gaps. Coastal areas and high ground can help you get above haze and low cloud, but even an open playing field or a riverside path with an unobstructed east will do.

If you want a quick planning cheat sheet, aim for these rough windows by area (all BST and approximate):

• London and the South East: Moonrise around 7:30–7:35pm; catch the final 15–25 minutes of totality low on the horizon.
• Midlands and Wales: Moonrise roughly 7:35–7:45pm; brief totality possible, then a slow fade into the partial phase.
• Northern England: Moonrise around 7:45–7:55pm; likely just the tail end of totality, followed by the partial phase.
• Scotland and Northern Ireland: Moonrise near 7:50–8:00pm; mostly the partial phase, with the Moon brightening as it climbs.

At moonrise, the disc will sit very low—just a few degrees above the horizon—so you need a clean sightline to the east or east-southeast. The sky will still carry a touch of twilight, which can make the red Moon look even more dramatic. As the minutes tick by, the Moon brightens and climbs slowly, making the partial phase easier to see.

Think of the event in simple chunks: step outside from around 7:20pm to pick your spot and scan the horizon. From about 7:30pm to 7:52pm, watch for the dim, red lunar disc—this is totality, where the Moon is fully inside Earth’s dark umbra. Between 7:52pm and 8:56pm, the partial phase takes over as a bright bite grows across the Moon. The subtle penumbral shading lingers until 9:55pm, but that last stretch is faint and easy to miss.

No eye protection is needed—this is a lunar eclipse, not a solar one. You can look directly at it with your eyes, binoculars, or a telescope. For many people, binoculars are the sweet spot: easy to carry, with enough magnification to bring out detail without complicated setup.

Expect crowds at popular viewpoints, but you don’t need a famous hill or landmark. A park bench with an eastern view is enough. Streetlights won’t ruin it; an eclipsed Moon is dimmer than usual but still visible from towns and cities, especially once you know where to look. If you can’t find it right away, use a landmark on the horizon and sweep slowly—your eyes adjust in a minute or two.

What to know about the blood moon (and how to get the shot)

Why does the Moon turn red? During a total lunar eclipse, Earth lines up between the Sun and the Moon, and our planet’s shadow covers the lunar surface. Sunlight still reaches the Moon, but it’s filtered through Earth’s atmosphere. The atmosphere scatters blue light and lets red and orange wavelengths bend into the shadow. That’s the same physics that makes sunsets red—and it paints the eclipsed Moon with those warm tones, the so-called blood moon effect.

The exact colour on the night can vary a lot. Dust, smoke, and volcanic aerosols in the atmosphere deepen the red, while clean, clear skies worldwide can make the Moon appear more coppery or even grey-brown. The eclipse on 7 September is a deep one by the numbers: an umbral magnitude of 1.36379 means the Moon fits well inside the dark core of Earth’s shadow, which usually favours richer colour. The penumbral magnitude, 2.34591, simply notes how much of the faint outer shadow is involved; you’ll mainly notice that as a soft darkening before and after the main event.

Observers sometimes rate the brightness on the Danjon scale (L=0 to L=4), from inky dark to bright copper. That value isn’t predictable in advance—it depends on global atmospheric conditions at the time. Don’t be surprised if the Moon’s colour shifts subtly during totality; the shadow isn’t uniform, and you’re literally seeing sunlight refracted through different limbs of Earth’s atmosphere.

The geometry this time places the eclipse at the Moon’s ascending node, one of two points where the lunar orbit crosses the plane of Earth’s orbit. Eclipses cluster in “seasons,” and this one bookends another event: a partial solar eclipse on 21 September 2025. Not everyone sees both, but they’re part of the same celestial lineup.

Globally, this lunar eclipse is generous. Entire phases will be visible across Africa, Asia, Australia, and parts of Antarctica. Europe, including the UK, catches the second half. That global reach is why social feeds on Sunday night are likely to fill with red Moon photos from multiple continents.

If you’re watching with kids or first-time observers, keep it simple. Point out that you’re seeing Earth’s shadow on the Moon—and that the red glow is all the planet’s sunsets and sunrises bending around the edge of the globe at once. Even a short look during totality lands the idea.

Want to photograph it? You have options, from phones to big lenses. Start with the basics:

• Find an unobstructed view to the east or east-southeast. Low horizons matter more than dark skies for this one.
• Stabilise your camera or phone. A tripod is best, but a wall, railing, or bean bag works in a pinch.
• Turn off flash. It won’t help the Moon and will annoy everyone around you.

For smartphones: switch to night mode if available, or use manual/pro controls. Lock focus on the Moon. Start around ISO 200–800 and a shutter between 1/15s and 1/2s during totality; shorten to around 1/125s–1/500s as it brightens in the partial phase. Tap to reduce exposure if the bright limb blows out. A small clip-on telephoto helps, but you can also go wide and frame the Moon with a skyline or trees.

For mirrorless/DSLR users: a 200–400mm lens brings real detail, but even 85–135mm can look great with a landscape in frame. During totality, try ISO 400–1600, f/2.8–f/5.6, and shutter 1/2s to 1/30s. As the Moon exits totality and a bright crescent returns, drop ISO and speed up—think ISO 100–400 at 1/125s to 1/500s. Shoot RAW if you can. Manual white balance around daylight is fine; you can tweak colour later.

Bracket your exposures. The dynamic range swings fast as totality ends, and bracketing gives you options when editing. If you’re chasing sharp lunar detail at long focal lengths, use a remote release or the 2-second timer to prevent shake. Image stabilisation helps, but it isn’t magic at slow shutters.

Composition sells the shot. Scout an eastern skyline—church spires, cranes, a pier, a hilltop trig point, even a line of rooftops. Because the Moon is low, you can line it up with silhouettes for scale. Bring a torch or phone light for setup, and pack a light layer; even early September evenings can turn cool if you’re standing still.

Binoculars unlock extra detail during totality. You can pick out the darker lava plains (maria), the bright rays of Tycho, and the soft boundary of Earth’s umbra slowly sliding across the disc. If the colour looks uneven—brighter near one edge—that’s normal. The Moon isn’t at the exact centre of the umbra the whole time, so one rim may glow a little more orange.

If you want a minute-by-minute feel for the UK experience, here’s what to watch for:

1. 7:20–7:30pm: Find your spot, face east. The sky is in late twilight.
2. About 7:30pm: The Moon lifts, already dim and red. It can be tricky at first; use binoculars to help locate it.
3. 7:33–7:45pm: Totality is on full display where the Moon has risen in time. Colour deepens as the sky darkens.
4. 7:52pm: Totality ends. A bright arc reappears on the Moon’s limb; the disc quickly gains brightness.
5. 7:52–8:56pm: Partial phase. The bright bite grows until the umbra slides off completely.
6. 8:56–9:55pm: Penumbral tail. Subtle shading only; most casual viewers will call it a night here.

Two practical notes. First, horizons vary. A hill, block of flats, or line of trees can add several minutes to your personal “moonrise,” even if the almanac says it’s up. Get a higher vantage point if you can. Second, all times are BST. If you’re near the Irish border or checking apps set to UTC, make sure you’re reading local time.

If clouds threaten, don’t give up. Eclipsed moons often pop into view through gaps, especially 15–30 minutes after sunset as low cloud thins. A brief hole in the cloud deck is enough to catch that red disc and the moment totality ends.

For the astronomy-curious, the numbers tell a clean story. An umbral magnitude greater than 1 guarantees totality—there’s “spare” shadow covering the Moon. At 1.36, this eclipse puts the lunar disc well within Earth’s umbra, which tends to mean bolder colour and a longer, more obvious darkening. The penumbral magnitude over 2 signals a wide fringe of subtle shading before and after, though the penumbral phase is always the hardest to see.

If you fancy a quick experiment, note the Moon’s brightness every ten minutes during totality, using a nearby star or planet as a rough comparison if one’s visible. You’ll likely see the eclipsed Moon brighten a touch as it drifts closer to the umbra’s edge, a gentle cue that totality is winding down even before the bright limb appears.

And if you’re planning ahead, keep the date of 21 September 2025 in mind for the partial solar eclipse from the same eclipse season. Different kit, different safety rules—never look at the Sun without proper filters—but it’s part of the same celestial choreography that’s giving the UK this rare Sunday-night lunar show.

One last checklist for the evening:

• Time and place: be set up by 7:20pm with an open view east.
• Clothing: light layers; it can get cool standing still.
• Gear: binoculars, camera/phone, tripod or something sturdy.
• Plan B: a second nearby spot with a clearer horizon in case the first is clouded.
• Patience: give your eyes a minute to adjust; the red Moon often “appears” once you’ve stared at the right patch of sky.

Whether you watch for five minutes or the full stretch to 9:55pm, you’re seeing sunlight take the long way round Earth to light the Moon. It’s simple, it’s safe, and it won’t repeat in UK skies for nearly a year.