ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set for an extraordinary celestial spectacle this Sunday as a rare lunar eclipse, commonly called the “Blood Moon,” will be visible across the country.
According to the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), a lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow over the Moon’s surface. Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely safe to view with the naked eye, as well as through binoculars or telescopes.
In a press release issued on Saturday, SUPARCO announced that the upcoming eclipse will be visible across Asia, Africa, and parts of Europe. In Pakistan, the eclipse is expected to be clearly visible in most areas, weather permitting.
“The event will start at 8:30 pm and reach its maximum at 11:57 pm,” the press release read, stating that the eclipse will conclude at 1:55 am.
“This is a great chance for people, especially students and astronomy enthusiasts, to connect with science and explore the wonders of our universe,” a Suparco spokesperson said.
Sunday’s eclipse is commonly referred to as a “blood moon”, named for the reddish hue the Moon takes on during the event. When the Sun, Earth, and Moon align, Earth casts a shadow over the Moon, causing it to appear in a deep, eerie red—a phenomenon that has fascinated people for centuries.
According to Ryan Milligan, an astrophysicist at Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland, the Moon turns red during a lunar eclipse because the only sunlight that reaches it is filtered and scattered through Earth’s atmosphere. This atmospheric effect gives the Moon its distinctive blood-red glow.
The last total lunar eclipse was in March this year, while the one before that was in 2022. A rare total solar eclipse, when the Moon blocks out the light from the Sun, will be visible in a sliver of Europe on August 12, 2026.
