Watch: Stargazers around the world glimpse 'Blood Moon' lunar eclipse

Stargazers across the globe gathered overnight Thursday into early Friday morning to observe a rare near-total lunar eclipse, commonly referred to as a Blood Moon. The celestial event occurred as the Sun, Earth, and Moon aligned precisely in space, casting the Earth's shadow over the lunar surface and tinting the Moon a striking reddish-orange color.

The astronomical event attracted public interest worldwide, coming just weeks after millions of viewers observed a major solar eclipse. Observers across North America, South America, parts of Europe, Asia, and Australia had varying opportunities to view the phenomenon, depending on local visibility and weather conditions.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon, blocking direct sunlight from reaching the lunar surface. During a total or near-total eclipse, the Moon does not go completely dark. Instead, sunlight passes through the Earth's atmosphere, which scatters shorter blue light waves while allowing longer red light waves to pass through and project onto the Moon. This atmospheric filtering creates the deep crimson hue that characterizes a Blood Moon.

Unlike solar eclipses, which require protective eyewear to prevent eye damage, lunar eclipses can be safely viewed with the naked eye, binoculars, or standard telescopes. The lack of required special equipment makes lunar eclipses widely accessible public viewing events. Many astronomical societies and public observatories hosted special viewing sessions and live streams to accommodate interested observers.

The appearance of the Moon during an eclipse can vary significantly depending on atmospheric conditions on Earth. Factors such as cloud cover, dust levels, and volcanic ash in the atmosphere can alter the intensity and shade of the red light reflected off the lunar surface. Clearer atmospheric conditions generally produce a brighter, more distinct red or orange appearance.

The alignment marks another significant event in a period of heightened astronomical activity. Lunar eclipses occur exclusively during a full moon, but they do not happen every month because the Moon's orbit around the Earth is tilted relative to the Earth's orbit around the Sun. Consequently, the three celestial bodies only align periodically.

Astronomers track these orbital paths years in advance, allowing scientists and the public to anticipate visibility windows across different regions of the globe. Future lunar and solar eclipses will continue to offer scientists opportunities to study atmospheric dynamics and celestial mechanics.