Georgina Rannard
Science correspondent reporting from Blackheath, London

About 75 people gathered this evening in Blackheath for a Flamsteed Astronomy Society event in London – families, couples, friends and kids.

All were hoping to catch sight of the eclipse. It felt a bit like a small party and the mood was optimistic when clouds started clearing above the eastern horizon about half an hour before the moonrise.

But in the end, the weather didn’t play ball – and we didn’t see the eclipse.

“This is British astronomy – we turn out but there’s always a risk you don’t see anything. Sometimes the weather lets us down,” Jake Foster, public astronomy officer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, tells me.

“Maybe you can come again next year?” Gaia, 11, asks me – the next chance to see a partial eclipse is August 2026.

Here are some more of the best pictures we’ve seen from eclipse enthusiasts from around the world this evening:

We’ve just spoken to Rachel Dutton, a fellow from the Royal Astronomical Society, who explains why the Moon is appearing red tonight.

She says that the atmosphere of the Earth, as it blocks the sun from shining directly on the Moon, acts similarly to “a prism” by scattering light, and you get that “beautiful red light being bent around”.

“If we were a planet without an atmosphere, the Moon would just appear to go dark, but instead it moves into that red shadow area and gives us that glorious colour,” Dutton tells the BBC.

Context: “Rayleigh scattering”, which also makes the sky blue and our sunsets red, scatters more of the shorter blue wavelength light, allowing the longer red wavelength light to remain visible.

That marks the end of the total lunar eclipse, the stage of the eclipse where the Moon was completely engulfed by Earth’s shadow, turning a striking red.

After totality ends, a partial eclipse will continue until 20:56 BST, and then a faint penumbral eclipse will last until 21:55 BST – a more subtle occurrence where the Moon travels through the outer part of Earth’s shadow, resulting in a faint dimming.

Hopefully the weather was kind enough to you all, and you got a chance to appreciate the striking shade of red hanging in the night sky.

Georgina Rannard
Science correspondent

Jubilee and Daniel have brought snacks and a comfy blanket to settle down and watch the eclipse at Blackheath Park in London.

“We heard about it on Instagram – we’ve never been to one of these before,” says Jubilee.

“It’s not unlike us to be talking about the Moon – we love it,” he says.

The pair are from Australia, and say they can feel they lose connection to “Mother Nature” in London.

“We forget sometimes that around the world we are all under one night sky – and the moon that reminds us of that,” says Daniel.

We’re starting to see some beautiful pictures of the Blood Moon’s distinctive red hue in countries around the world:

Maddie Molloy
Climate and science reporter

To best view the eclipse, get somewhere ahead of moonrise with as clear a view of the horizon as possible so that you can see the Moon as soon as it rises. In a city that’s probably a hill or popular viewpoint.

Binoculars or a telescope will help if you have them, and unlike with solar eclipses, which are dangerous to view directly, lunar eclipses won’t damage your eyes as the Moon’s reflected light isn’t bright enough.

Cloud cover may affect visibility, so check your local weather beforehand.

The next lunar eclipse visible in the UK will be on 28 August 2026, so mark your calendars for another chance to witness this celestial event.

Georgina Rannard
Science correspondent

I’m at Blackheath Park in London for an eclipse watch party organised by the Flamsteed Astronomy Group.

There’s another 45 minutes before the Moon rises here and it’s still light but excitement is growing.

Dan and Sayeda tell me this is the first event like this they have been to – and they’re setting up this brand new telescope that was a birthday present. “This is the second time I’ve used this – I hope I’m setting it up right,” Dan says.

“I’m pretty excited to see the lunar eclipse, and it’s starting to clear up now,” Sayeda says.

Thick, dark clouds had been threatening to gather on the eastern horizon where the eclipse will be, but with any luck they should disappear in the next hour.

You can watch the eclipse with the naked eye, but the view through a telescope will capture the Moon in its full glory.

Are you having a watch party for the lunar eclipse? Are you setting up your telescope to get a good shot of the Blood Moon? We’d like to hear from you.

You can contact us in the following ways:

• Email: bbcyourvoice@bbc.co.uk , external
• Our web form: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u16904890
• Tag us on X: @BBC_HaveYourSay, external

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The full eclipse has started – people in the UK will only be able to see it after the Moon rises, and that depends on where you are – check here, external for Moonrise time in your area.

The eclipse will be at its maximum at 19:11 BST and will last until around 19:52 BST, so you’ve got some time to appreciate it and try to snap a few decent pics if you can find the right spot.

Easternmost parts get the longest view, with moonrise in Norwich at 19:25 for example, while westernmost Wales and Cornwall only get a minute or two. Northern Ireland and western Scotland won’t see totality this time but may still catch some of the Earth’s shadow across the Moon.

Watch live at the top of this page.

As well as the UK, elsewhere in western Europe there’s a chance to see a bit of totality as the Moon rises this evening.

If you’re in India, China, Russia, western Australia, east Africa or the regions around central Asia, you’ll be able to see the full Blood Moon total lunar eclipse.

If you’re in North America, you won’t be able to see it this time – although the far west of Alaska might catch a partial lunar eclipse.

Astronomy enthusiasts in Kuwait are setting up their equipment to enjoy the Blood Moon this evening, bringing out the high-end telescopes and camera gear to capture it properly.

Maddie Molloy
BBC News Climate and Science

While most of the Americas won’t be able to see it, observers in easternmost parts of Africa, in the Middle East, most of Asia and western Australia should be able to witness the entire event from start to finish.

Check here, external for Moonrise time in your part of the UK or in the rest of the world.

Dr Edward Bloomer, astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich said: “In the UK we won’t get to see perhaps the most dramatic reddening that you get with lunar eclipses… and most people will have to wait another 10 to 20 minutes after moonrise for it to clear the horizon.

“But it’s worth watching because you get to see the mechanics of the solar system at play,” he said. “This is not a special effect. There’s nothing else it could be – this must be what’s happening in real life in front of you.”

The last total lunar eclipse visible from the UK occurred in 2022.

During Sunday there will be heavy rain and some thunderstorms moving north eastward across the UK, but through the afternoon the rain will be more limited to Scotland and the far north of England.

Elsewhere, the cloud will gradually break up and across much of England and Wales and there should be some clear spells, a good chance to see the rising Moon in the eastern sky.

In Northern Ireland, there will still be quite a bit of cloud but with clear spells, meaning there is a chance of seeing the Moon between the parting cloud.

However, for the far north of England and Scotland, it will still be raining for some, with thicker cloud. Chances of seeing any of the lunar eclipse will be limited to almost no chance.

As a reminder, the full eclipse will begin in the UK at 18:30 BST and last until 19:52.

Are you planning to watch the lunar eclipse? We’d like to hear from you.

You can contact us in the following ways:

• Email: bbcyourvoice@bbc.co.uk , external
• Our web form: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u16904890
• Tag us on X: @BBC_HaveYourSay, external

Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

People have been gathering on the Bund promenade in Shanghai, China, along the Huangpu river as a full moon rises above a night sky.

Let’s take a look at the latest images:

Maddie Molloy
BBC News Climate and Science

A lunar eclipse takes place when the Earth is directly between the Sun and the Moon, blocking sunlight and casting a shadow across the Moon’s surface.

There are three primary types:

• Total lunar eclipse – The Moon is completely engulfed by Earth’s shadow, often turning a striking red
• Partial lunar eclipse – Only a portion of the Moon passes into Earth’s shadow, creating a visible dark segment
• Penumbral lunar eclipse – A more subtle occurrence, where the Moon travels through the outer part of Earth’s shadow, resulting in a faint dimming

Lunar eclipses are sometimes referred to as “Blood Moons” due to the Moon’s reddish hue during the event.

This reddish appearance is the result of a phenomenon called “Rayleigh scattering” which also makes the sky blue and our sunsets red. It scatters more of the shorter blue wavelength light, allowing the longer red wavelength light to remain visible.

During a lunar eclipse, the light illuminating the Moon has passed through Earth’s atmosphere.

It’s as though every sunrise and sunset on Earth is being cast upon the lunar surface.

Sky-watchers in the UK have been treated to an array of spectacular displays this year – from meteor showers to the Northern Lights.

And this evening is no exception, when a total lunar eclipse will turn the full Moon red.

As the moon moves through Earth’s shadow, it will take on a deep red hue, creating a striking “Blood Moon”.

In the UK the full eclipse starts at 18:30 and lasts until 19:52, but people will only be able to see it after the Moon rises, and that depends on where you are.

Elsewhere, the captivating display should be visible in its totality across easternmost parts of Africa, in the Middle East, most of Asia and western Australia should be able to witness the entire event in totality – most of the Americas won’t be able to see it.

We’ll be following the whole thing right here, along with tips on how best to view the total lunar eclipse.

You can also watch a live stream of the eclipse at the top of this page from around 16:30.