How to watch Friday's blood moon total lunar eclipse
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. 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." 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.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
a day ago
- Khaleej Times
UWL RAK student represents UAE and receives Nasa Space Apps Challenge Award
The University of West London – RAK Campus recently celebrated a moment of international recognition as Umamah Ali, a final-year BSc (Hons) Computer Science student, visited Nasa headquarters in Washington, DC, to receive the 'Most inspirational project award' at the Nasa International Space Apps Challenge 2024. Umamah represented both UWL RAK and the UAE, accepting the award on behalf of her team, which includes Rikzah Noorul Huda Khattal, Samira Rafiq Khan, and Shafeeqa Fathima Jahangir. The team made history as the first from the UAE to win this prestigious recognition in a competition that saw participation from over 93,000 individuals across 163 countries. Their award-winning project, Eco-Metropolis: Sustainable City Simulation, is an educational, interactive game designed to engage youth in sustainability, climate resilience, and smart city development. By incorporating real Nasa datasets and aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goal 11, the game offers a practical learning tool that empowers players to understand the importance of responsible urban planning and resource management. "This is not just a win for UWL RAK, but a proud moment for the UAE,' stated UWL RAK leadership. "The team's innovative spirit and dedication reflect our institution's vision to nurture global changemakers who are prepared to solve the world's most pressing challenges." The University of West London RAK campus remains committed to empowering its students to lead with innovation, impact, and purpose on both local and global platforms.
Dubai Eye
3 days ago
- Dubai Eye
UAE astronomers detect exoplanets orbiting distant stars
Astronomers in the UAE have detected exoplanets orbiting stars far beyond the solar system, the Abu Dhabi-based International Astronomy Centre announced. Al Khatem Astronomical Observatory, located deep in the Abu Dhabi desert, worked in partnership with the NASA Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission. The astronmers analysed subtle changes in the brightness of stars to detect the transit of planets in front of them - a technique used to discover exoplanets. Eng. Khalfan Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the International Astronomy Center, said the detection of these planets is based on preliminary data provided by the TESS telescope, and is being verified on Earth through a global network of specialised observatories. Eng. Mohammed Shawkat Awda, Director of the International Astronomy Center, said that the Al Khatim Observatory officially joined the TESS Follow-Up Observing Program (TFOP) program in June 2024, after completing a rigorous training program conducted by international experts, followed by a successful practical test to observe one of the candidate planets. He explained that since joining, it has conducted a series of nighttime observations, each lasting between four and seven hours, focusing on 12 stars suspected of having planets. He noted that using its main telescope, it was able to transform the status of 10 of these stars from "candidate planets" to "confirmed planets," an achievement that demonstrates the precision of the observatory's research. Official documents from the Global Programme indicate that the Khatem Observatory achieved these results independently, reflecting the efficiency of its equipment and the accuracy of the observations it provides, especially in light of the environmental challenges facing ground-based observations. Awda emphasised that this contribution represents an important scientific step for the UAE in the field of space exploration, placing it in a leading position in the search for planets that may be habitable, or providing new insights into the formation and evolution of planets in distant galaxies.
Economy ME
3 days ago
- Economy ME
UAE contributes to discovering new exoplanets, marks major milestone in astronomical research
The UAE's International Astronomical Center announced today that the Al Khatim Astronomical Observatory, located in the Abu Dhabi desert, has participated in observing and confirming the existence of exoplanets, marking a scientific milestone that reflects the UAE's growing role in astronomical research. An exoplanet is any planet located beyond the solar system. The achievement reinforces the UAE's active participation in leading international scientific projects aimed at deepening the understanding of the universe and exploring the potential for life beyond Earth. UAE collaborates with NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite Commenting on the UAE's latest achievement, Eng. Khalfan Al Nuaimi, president of the International Astronomical Center, said that this contribution formed part of a collaboration with NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The UAE-based observatory employs techniques to analyze minute fluctuations in stellar brightness to detect planets passing in front of their host stars, a widely adopted method for discovering exoplanets. Meanwhile, Eng. Mohammad Shawkat Odeh, director of the center, added that the Al Khatim Observatory officially joined the TESS Follow-up Observing Program (TFOP) in June 2024, following the successful completion of a rigorous training program led by international experts, followed by a successful practical test observing a candidate planet. The accomplishment of discovering exoplanets aligns with the UAE's strategic directives to strengthen its scientific leadership and contribute to global efforts to unlock the secrets of the cosmos, supported by state-of-the-art infrastructure and an ambitious vision for the future. Source: WAM Read: UAE's MBRSC, Firefly Aerospace partner to deploy Rashid 2 Rover to far side of moon UAE expands space exploration efforts The discovery of exoplanets is yet another milestone in the UAE's space exploration success story. In April this year, the UAE marked the anniversary of the first human spaceflight, continuing its significant contributions to space exploration led by its qualified national workforce and ambitious youth. This year's anniversary highlighted the UAE's emergence as a leading space exploration success story in the Arab and regional spheres. Its accomplishments include groundbreaking projects and the development of a skilled generation of astronauts, administrators and technical personnel. The UAE achieved a historic milestone in the first quarter of this year by launching six satellites: Thuraya 4, MBZ-SAT, Al Ain Sat-1, HCT-SAT 1, the second phase of Foresight Constellation, and Etihad-SAT. Recent milestones also included February's agreement between Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC) and Thales Alenia Space. Under the agreement, Thales Alenia Space will be a strategic partner in the development of the Pressure Equalisation Unit of the Gateway Lunar Space Station. The UAE's participation in this project signifies a major step in its strategy to establish a prominent global presence in space science and technology. The UAE joined the Gateway project in January 2024 alongside the U.S., Japan, Canada, and the European Union, and announced its intent to send the first Emirati and Arab astronaut to lunar orbit.
