Australia Gets First Glimpse of ‘Blood Moon’ Headed Around the World

SYDNEY– Australians from all over the country snapped photos from their balconies and beaches late Tuesday as the sky opened to reveal a stunning, red-tinted lunar eclipse known as a “blood moon.”

The 85-minute total eclipse came after weeks of wet weather that has caused near-record flooding in parts of central New South Wales, with Sydney residents given a brief respite as the sun shone Tuesday before the celestial spectacle unfolded in the sky.

The eclipse, which began at 8:09 p.m. local time before the total eclipse started at approximately 9:16pm, will be the last time the sun, moon, and Earth line up to produce the remarkable sight until 2025.

The event will be visible in Australia, New Zealand and in parts of the Americas and Asia.

In Australia, messages were flicked between beers on a warm spring evening and pictures were uploaded to Instagram as the moon slowly moved into Earth’s shadow, creating an eerie “blood moon” that could be seen from one side of the country to the other.

The view was a welcome sight after the flooding crisis across New South Wales and Victoria, which saw the discovery of a second fatality over the weekend. The body of a man was found on Nov. 6 who died after a ute he and four mates were traveling in was swept into New South Wales flood waters last week. Two of the men in the vehicle survived after swimming to safety.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that the Moon passes into Earth’s shadow. In a total lunar eclipse, the entire Moon falls within the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, called the umbra. When the Moon is within the umbra, it turns a reddish hue, thus the “blood moon” moniker.

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