A "blood moon" total lunar eclipse is to be visible across many parts of the world on Friday, with the Moon appearing to turn red as it passes through Earth's shadow in a mesmerising celestial event.
While it will not be visible in the UAE, it will be streamed live as the blood moon is seen in North and South America, Western Europe, Western Africa and parts of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
When is the eclipse?
The total lunar eclipse will begin at 7.12am UTC (11.12am GST) and will end at 8.46am UTC (12.46pm GST). But viewers in some countries can enjoy a partial eclipse until 10.01 UTC (2.01pm GST).
“Skywatchers will witness a total lunar eclipse as the Earth aligns perfectly between the Sun and the Moon, casting a deep reddish hue on the lunar surface,” Khadijah Ahmed, operations manager at the Dubai Astronomy Group, told The National. “This fascinating phenomenon offers a remarkable opportunity to study Earth's shadow and the interplay of celestial mechanics.”
A total lunar eclipse takes place when the Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon, blocking sunlight and casting a shadow on the lunar surface.
During the eclipse, the Moon can appear to have a reddish tint, giving it the name “blood moon”.
“During a lunar eclipse, the Moon appears red or orange because any sunlight that's not blocked by our planet is filtered through a thick slice of Earth’s atmosphere on its way to the lunar surface,” Nasa explained on its website. "It’s as if all the world’s sunrises and sunsets are projected on to the Moon."
How can I watch the eclipse from the UAE?
Some observatories and online platforms, including timeanddate.com's YouTube channel, will provide live streams of the phenomenon, along with commentary from experts.
Stargazers in the Emirates will be able to see a total lunar eclipse on September 7 and 8. It will be a rare opportunity to witness the phenomenon, with the next one not expected to occur until December 31, 2028.
“During this event, the Moon will turn red as it moves into Earth’s shadow, offering a spectacular show for skywatchers across the region,” Ms Ahmed said.
Meteor showers will also light up the skies in the Emirates this year, including the Perseids on August 12 and 13. Three supermoons will be visible from the country this year, on October 7, November 5 and December 4.
Ms Ahmed said 2025 would be "an exciting year for astronomy lovers" in the UAE. "These events are not just fascinating, but also offer a chance to connect with the wonders of the universe," she added.
The five pillars of Islam
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- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
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Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
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- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
Company%20profile
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
Torque: 560Nm
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FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
F1 The Movie
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Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
