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PHOTOS: Blood Moon glows above Kenyan skies
07th September, 2025 09:37 PM
Skygazers across Kenya were treated to one of nature’s most hauntingly beautiful spectacles: a blood moon.
As the Earth moved directly between the sun and the moon, it cast its shadow over the lunar surface, transforming the familiar silver orb into a glowing sphere of deep red and copper.
The moon appeared as a glowing orb of deep red and burnt orange, suspended eerily against the night sky.
This celestial event, known as a total lunar eclipse, occurs when sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere and refracts, filtering out blue light and allowing red wavelengths to bathe the moon. The result is an eerie, almost otherworldly, experience.
According to the Kenya Space Agency (KSA), it is safe to observe with the naked eye, unlike solar eclipses.
“On September 7, 2025, a Blood Moon will bathe the sky in red, visible across East Africa, Asia, and Australia,” KSA had announced.
“Unlike solar eclipses, it’s 100 per cent safe to watch with your eyes.”
In a statement, the astronomers announced that the eclipse will be visible across the country at the following times: the moon will rise above the horizon at 6:40 pm, with the total red moon phase beginning at 8:30 pm. The greatest eclipse will occur at about 9:11 pm, and the entire event will last for about 5 hours and 29 minutes.
As the sun, moon, and Earth line up in their orbits, the moon will be cast into a crescent-shaped shadow before being fully blocked from the sun by Earth.
According to KSA, during the eclipse, the moon takes on a deep red hue, earning it the name blood moon.
This occurs when the Earth comes between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow that filters sunlight through the Earth’s atmosphere.
“A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon, blocking sunlight and casting a shadow on the lunar surface,” KSA disclosed.
“This event can only occur during a full Moon, when the Moon is on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun, making the perfect alignment possible.
The space agency further noted that the Moon turning red during a total lunar eclipse is among the most mesmerising sights and a reminder of the solar system’s graceful mechanics.
“Among all its phases and appearances, the Moon turning a deep, glowing red during a total lunar eclipse is one of the most mesmerising sights in the night sky, a reminder of the graceful mechanics of our solar system,” KSA added.
Other rare happenings
According to the Kenya Wildlife Service, at the same time, the planet Saturn will also be visible.
“At the same time, the planet Saturn will be visible, adding a dazzling highlight to this already unforgettable night,” KWS revealed.
