Photos| Blood Moon 2018: World gazes at century’s longest lunar eclipse

By HT Correspondent

Updated On Jul 28, 2018 12:04 pm IST

A blood-red moon dazzled star gazers across much of the world on Friday when it moved into Earth's shadow for the longest lunar eclipse of the 21st century. The total eclipse lasted 1 hour, 42 minutes and 57 seconds and the fullest eclipse was visible from Europe, Russia, Africa, the Middle East, and much of Asia and Australia though clouds blocked out the moon in some places. The next lunar eclipse of such a length is due in 2123.

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A bride poses for photo during the longest “blood moon” eclipse this century in Brasilia, Brazil. This eclipse coincided with Mars’ closest approach in 15 years to treat skygazers across the globe to a thrilling celestial spectacle. (Ueslei Marcelino / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 28, 2018 12:04 pm IST

A bride poses for photo during the longest “blood moon” eclipse this century in Brasilia, Brazil. This eclipse coincided with Mars’ closest approach in 15 years to treat skygazers across the globe to a thrilling celestial spectacle. (Ueslei Marcelino / REUTERS)

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This combination of 14 pictures put together in photoshop and taken yesterday, shows the moon during a total lunar eclipse near to La Puente town, canary Spanish island of Tenerife. NASA, meanwhile, called out social media hoaxers claiming that Mars would appear as big as the moon during the eclipse. “If that were true, we’d be in big trouble given the gravitational pulls on Earth, Mars, and our moon!” the NASA website stated. (Desiree Martin / AFP)

Updated on Jul 28, 2018 12:04 pm IST

This combination of 14 pictures put together in photoshop and taken yesterday, shows the moon during a total lunar eclipse near to La Puente town, canary Spanish island of Tenerife. NASA, meanwhile, called out social media hoaxers claiming that Mars would appear as big as the moon during the eclipse. “If that were true, we’d be in big trouble given the gravitational pulls on Earth, Mars, and our moon!” the NASA website stated. (Desiree Martin / AFP)

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People watch a full moon rising behind the Temple of Poseidon before the eclipse in Cape Sounion, near Athens, Greece. Unlike with a solar eclipse, viewers did not need protective eye gear to observe the rare display. (Alkis Konstantinidis / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 28, 2018 12:04 pm IST

People watch a full moon rising behind the Temple of Poseidon before the eclipse in Cape Sounion, near Athens, Greece. Unlike with a solar eclipse, viewers did not need protective eye gear to observe the rare display. (Alkis Konstantinidis / REUTERS)

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Clouds obscure the view for people sitting on a statue to see the lunar eclipse in Prague, Czech Republic. The fullest eclipse was visible from Europe, Russia, Africa, the Middle East, and much of Asia and Australia though clouds blocked out the moon in some places. (David W Cerny / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 28, 2018 12:04 pm IST

Clouds obscure the view for people sitting on a statue to see the lunar eclipse in Prague, Czech Republic. The fullest eclipse was visible from Europe, Russia, Africa, the Middle East, and much of Asia and Australia though clouds blocked out the moon in some places. (David W Cerny / REUTERS)

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A bus passes by as the eclipse seen above the skyline of Frankfurt am Main, western Germany. The total eclipse lasted 1 hour, 42 minutes and 57 seconds, though a partial eclipse preceded and followed. (Yann Schreiber / AFP)

Updated on Jul 28, 2018 12:04 pm IST

A bus passes by as the eclipse seen above the skyline of Frankfurt am Main, western Germany. The total eclipse lasted 1 hour, 42 minutes and 57 seconds, though a partial eclipse preceded and followed. (Yann Schreiber / AFP)

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Devotees perform aarti ahead of the eclipse at Varanasi’s Dashashwamedh Ghat in India. Widespread monsoon rainstorms and thick clouds hid the moon across much of India and its neighbours, which should have had a prime view. (Rajesh Kumar / HT Photo)

Updated on Jul 28, 2018 12:04 pm IST

Devotees perform aarti ahead of the eclipse at Varanasi’s Dashashwamedh Ghat in India. Widespread monsoon rainstorms and thick clouds hid the moon across much of India and its neighbours, which should have had a prime view. (Rajesh Kumar / HT Photo)

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Sarah Al Muhairi, an aspiring Emirati astronomer, uses a telescope to view the eclipse of the full Blood Moon at Al Sadeem Observatory in Al Wathba near Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Christopher Pike / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 28, 2018 12:04 pm IST

Sarah Al Muhairi, an aspiring Emirati astronomer, uses a telescope to view the eclipse of the full Blood Moon at Al Sadeem Observatory in Al Wathba near Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Christopher Pike / REUTERS)

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“It’s called a blood moon because the light from the sun goes through the Earth’s atmosphere on its way to the moon, and the Earth’s atmosphere turns it red in the same way that when the sun goes down it goes red,” said Andrew Fabian, professor of astronomy at the University of Cambridge. (Mahmud Hams / AFP)

Updated on Jul 28, 2018 12:04 pm IST

“It’s called a blood moon because the light from the sun goes through the Earth’s atmosphere on its way to the moon, and the Earth’s atmosphere turns it red in the same way that when the sun goes down it goes red,” said Andrew Fabian, professor of astronomy at the University of Cambridge. (Mahmud Hams / AFP)

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Hong Kong stargazer uses telescope to observe the moon. From the Cape of Good Hope to the Middle East, and from the Kremlin to Sydney Harbour, thousands of people turned their eyes to the stars to watch the moon, which turned dark before shining orange, brown and crimson in the shadow. (Kin Cheung / AP)

Updated on Jul 28, 2018 12:04 pm IST

Hong Kong stargazer uses telescope to observe the moon. From the Cape of Good Hope to the Middle East, and from the Kremlin to Sydney Harbour, thousands of people turned their eyes to the stars to watch the moon, which turned dark before shining orange, brown and crimson in the shadow. (Kin Cheung / AP)

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A blood moon is seen from the Prambanan temple in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. According to some Hindu beliefs, celestial bodies such as the sun and moon emit negative energy during an eclipse and so some temples in India were closed to minimize any disturbance. (Slamet Riyadi / AP)

Updated on Jul 28, 2018 12:04 pm IST

A blood moon is seen from the Prambanan temple in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. According to some Hindu beliefs, celestial bodies such as the sun and moon emit negative energy during an eclipse and so some temples in India were closed to minimize any disturbance. (Slamet Riyadi / AP)

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A woman shines laser light towards the Blood Moon at the desert of Al Fayoum Governorate, south west of Cairo, Egypt. (Mohamed Abd El Ghany / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 28, 2018 12:04 pm IST

A woman shines laser light towards the Blood Moon at the desert of Al Fayoum Governorate, south west of Cairo, Egypt. (Mohamed Abd El Ghany / REUTERS)

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The moon turns red during the total lunar eclipse, behind the Saentis in Luzern, Switzerland. The Bible contains references to the moon turning into blood and some ultra-Orthodox Jews consider lunar eclipses ominous and a cause for moral contemplation. (Christian Merz / Keystone via AP)

Updated on Jul 28, 2018 12:04 pm IST

The moon turns red during the total lunar eclipse, behind the Saentis in Luzern, Switzerland. The Bible contains references to the moon turning into blood and some ultra-Orthodox Jews consider lunar eclipses ominous and a cause for moral contemplation. (Christian Merz / Keystone via AP)

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The lunar eclipse of the full Blood Moon rises behind the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. “It is a very unusual coincidence to have a total lunar eclipse and Mars at opposition on the same night,” said Robert Massey, deputy executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society, who watched the eclipse from the Mediterranean Sea. (Christopher Pike / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 28, 2018 12:04 pm IST

The lunar eclipse of the full Blood Moon rises behind the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. “It is a very unusual coincidence to have a total lunar eclipse and Mars at opposition on the same night,” said Robert Massey, deputy executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society, who watched the eclipse from the Mediterranean Sea. (Christopher Pike / REUTERS)

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In this time exposure, airplane navigation lights form a line crossing the blood moon, as it rises next to Sugar Loaf mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Leo Correa / AP)

Updated on Jul 28, 2018 12:04 pm IST

In this time exposure, airplane navigation lights form a line crossing the blood moon, as it rises next to Sugar Loaf mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Leo Correa / AP)

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People watch the total lunar eclipse in the Olympic park in Munich, southern Germany. The next lunar eclipse of such a length is due in 2123. (Christof Stache / AFP)

Updated on Jul 28, 2018 12:04 pm IST

People watch the total lunar eclipse in the Olympic park in Munich, southern Germany. The next lunar eclipse of such a length is due in 2123. (Christof Stache / AFP)

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Earth's shadow covers the moon for the total lunar eclipse in Sydney. A total lunar eclipse happens when Earth takes position in a straight line between the moon and sun, blotting out the direct sunlight that normally makes our satellite glow whitish-yellow. (Saeed Khan / AFP)

Updated on Jul 28, 2018 12:04 pm IST

Earth's shadow covers the moon for the total lunar eclipse in Sydney. A total lunar eclipse happens when Earth takes position in a straight line between the moon and sun, blotting out the direct sunlight that normally makes our satellite glow whitish-yellow. (Saeed Khan / AFP)

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The blood moon eclipse is pictured with a sculpture by the American artist Jonathan Borofsky "Woman walking to the sky" in Strasbourg, eastern France. (Fredrick Florin / AFP)

Updated on Jul 28, 2018 12:04 pm IST

The blood moon eclipse is pictured with a sculpture by the American artist Jonathan Borofsky "Woman walking to the sky" in Strasbourg, eastern France. (Fredrick Florin / AFP)

News / Photos / News / Photos| Blood Moon 2018: World gazes at century’s longest lunar eclipse

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