This Sunday, 7 September, Europe will witness a blood-red lunar eclipse, the longest since 2022 at around 82 minutes. The Earth will pass directly between the sun and the moon, casting its shadow across the lunar surface. Only refracted red light from the atmosphere will remain visible, giving the moon its ominous glow.
Throughout history, such events have been loaded with meaning. From Babylon to China, blood moons were seen as harbingers of war, disaster or divine punishment. In contrast, cultures like the Batammaliba in West Africa viewed them as moments for reconciliation and renewal.
Today, astronomy and astrology interpret the phenomenon very differently. Astronomers stress its beauty and rarity but dismiss any deeper significance, calling astrological claims “esoteric nonsense.” Astrologers, however, argue it marks symbolic turning points in personal and collective life, part of a centuries-old interpretive tradition.
Regardless of belief, the eclipse offers a striking spectacle. As astronomer Florian Freistetter notes: “We are lucky to live on a planet where we can observe something like this.” For Europeans, the night sky this weekend will host both science and story, myth and meaning—bathed in red light.
