People in the UAE were enthralled by a spectacular celestial show on Sunday evening as the Moon was bathed in red for a rare total lunar eclipse that was visible in many countries.
The celestial event took place as the Moon passed through Earth’s shadow in a sequence of phases that lasted more than five hours.
More than 250 people gathered to view the phenomenon at the Mohammed bin Rashid Library during an event organised by the Dubai Astronomy Group.
The Blood Moon eclipse was expected to be visible to about 87 per cent of the world’s population, including those in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia.
The eclipse reached its peak at 10.12pm and totality continued until 10.53pm.
The eclipse was expected to end just before 1am on Monday, with the Moon spending 82 minutes fully eclipsed, making it one of the longest total lunar eclipses in years.
Dubai mother Llama Bata brought her two sons, Zeyad, 14, and Omar, 10, to see the eclipse.
“It’s the first time we’ve watched the eclipse properly through a telescope and I think they got very excited to see it because we know that it’s a very rare occasion,” she said.
“My eldest son is very much into astronomy and we actually found out about the event through his school.”
The event had six main telescopes, with several standbys.
Visitors were given the chance able to observe the different phases of the eclipse, with the Moon forecast to transition from a faint penumbral dimming at 7.28pm GST to totality by 9.30pm, when it was due to turn a striking red.
Inspiring the next generation
For many young enthusiasts, it was their first time witnessing a lunar eclipse through professional equipment.
Fatma Nasser, 14, said the experience sparked a new curiosity in her about astronomy.
“It was really interesting to see the Moon turn red,” she said.
“It’s my first time seeing a lunar eclipse through a telescope and I really enjoyed it.
“I wasn’t so interested in astronomy before but after today’s event I think I might start coming to more of these so I can see the Moon and planets up close.”
Khadijah Ahmed, operations manager at the Dubai Astronomy group, said this enthusiasm among the youth in the UAE has been growing steadily.
A surge in interest since UAE Mars plans
“We have noticed there has been a lot of interest in astronomy especially after His Highness Sheikh Mohammed announced the plans in 2017 to go to Mars and to build the city on Mars,” she said.
“The interest has been explosive ever since from everybody, not just in the UAE, I would say internationally.”
She said that Sunday’s event drew global attention, with more than 30 countries joining the group’s live-stream on YouTube.
“I have done many eclipse events before, but I have not seen this many countries involved in it and this many events happening on the same night,” she said.
Why the Moon turns red
A total lunar eclipse takes place when the Sun, Earth and Moon align perfectly, with the planet blocking sunlight from directly reaching the lunar surface.
Instead of going completely dark, the Moon glows red because Earth’s atmosphere bends sunlight, filtering out the blue wavelengths and allowing the warmer red and orange tones to pass through, earning it the Blood Moon nickname.
The phenomenon is safe to watch with the naked eye, but binoculars and telescopes enhance the view.
A long wait for the next one
Astronomy enthusiasts who missed Sunday’s Blood Moon will have to wait several years before they can witness another from the Emirates.
The next lunar eclipse visible in the UAE will be a partial one on July 6, 2028, while the next total eclipse will take place on December 31 of the same year, a rare New Year’s Eve event.
