This weekend, the night sky will put on a spectacular show for millions across the globe as September’s full moon — known as the Corn Moon — coincides with a total lunar eclipse, creating a dramatic blood moon. But for those in the United States, the spectacle will remain just out of sight, with the celestial event lighting up skies across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia instead.
According to Space.com and NASA, the Corn Moon will reach its peak illumination on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at 2:09 p.m. Eastern Time. While the full moon itself will rise for everyone, the total lunar eclipse — the event that turns the moon a haunting coppery red — won’t be visible anywhere in the U.S. This blood moon will instead be best viewed from Asia, including countries like India and China, as well as the eastern edge of Africa and western Australia. Sky watchers in Europe and Africa will catch a partial eclipse as the moon rises during the early evening, while the Americas will have to sit this one out and wait for their turn in 2026.
So, what exactly is happening up there? As Ryan Milligan, an astrophysicist at Queen’s University Belfast, explained to AFP, “The Moon appears red during lunar eclipses because the only sunlight reaching it is reflected and scattered through the Earth's atmosphere.” Blue wavelengths — being shorter — scatter more easily, leaving the longer, red wavelengths to bathe the moon in that signature eerie glow. “That’s what gives the Moon its red, bloody colour,” Milligan said. This dazzling phenomenon will last for 82 minutes, from 17:30 GMT to 18:52 GMT, as Earth’s shadow completely envelops the lunar surface.
Unlike solar eclipses, which require special glasses or pinhole projectors for safe viewing, lunar eclipses are a naked-eye event. All that’s needed is clear weather — and, of course, being on the right side of the planet. As ScienceAlert notes, lunar eclipses are more accessible than their solar cousins; while a total solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes, lunar eclipse totality can stretch beyond an hour, and anyone on the night side of Earth can join in the experience.
For astronomers and scientists, these events aren’t just a visual treat. They offer a unique window into Earth’s atmosphere. The way sunlight bends, filters, and colors the moon during an eclipse reveals clues about the presence of dust, clouds, and even volcanic ash in our skies. It’s a bit like reading the planet’s weather diary, but written in shades of red and orange.
September’s full moon carries a rich history. The name “Corn Moon” comes from the Algonquin tribes of the northeastern United States, who used the full moon as a seasonal marker for harvesting staple crops like corn, beans, pumpkins, squash, and wild rice. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, some Native American communities also referred to it as the Corn Maker Moon or Corn Harvest Moon, reflecting the deep connection between the cycles of nature and community life. European traditions, meanwhile, dubbed it the Fruit Moon or Barley Moon, each name rooted in the rhythms of planting and gathering.
It’s easy to confuse the Corn Moon with the more famous Harvest Moon, but they’re not the same. The Harvest Moon is the full moon closest to the autumn equinox; in 2025, that honor goes to the October full moon, which rises on October 6 and is also called the Hunter’s Moon. The Corn Moon, by contrast, always falls in September and marks the bridge between summer’s end and the arrival of fall, when fields across the Northern Hemisphere are full but the days are growing noticeably shorter.
This year’s lunar calendar is a busy one. September’s Corn Moon is the ninth full moon of 2025, with a total of 12 full moons expected throughout the year — including three supermoons. Two of these full moons will coincide with total lunar eclipses, offering not just one but two chances for sky watchers to witness the dramatic blood moon display. For those in the United States, patience is required. The next blood moon visible from American soil will occur on March 2, 2026, with the best views stretching along the West Coast from Alaska to California. Residents there will be able to see all stages of the eclipse, from the moon’s first dip into Earth’s shadow to the final, fiery red glow.
As of September 5, 2025, the moon is in its waxing gibbous phase at 94% illumination, according to Space.com. The lunar phases leading up to and following this weekend’s full moon are: first quarter on August 31, full moon on September 7, last quarter on September 14, and new moon on September 21. And the celestial excitement doesn’t end there. On September 21, a partial solar eclipse will occur, visible in Australia, Antarctica, the Pacific Ocean, and the Atlantic Ocean — but again, not in the U.S. This solar eclipse happens just one day before the fall equinox on September 22, which marks the official start of astronomical fall. Meteorological fall, for those keeping track, began on September 1.
There’s a neat bit of cosmic choreography at play here: a solar eclipse always occurs about two weeks before or after a lunar eclipse. So, the total lunar eclipse of September 7 is naturally followed by the partial solar eclipse of September 21. It’s a reminder that these events come in pairs, dancing through the calendar as the seasons change.
For many, September’s full moon is about more than just science or spectacle. Some traditions view the Corn Moon as a time for reflection and release — a moment to let go of stagnant energy and welcome change as summer fades into fall. It’s also seen as a period to embrace growth and intuition, guided by the changing light in the night sky. The Corn Moon, returning each year, serves as a gentle reminder of how the moon has always been more than just a celestial body; it’s a companion through the seasons, a marker of abundance, and a symbol of transition.
Looking ahead, the next big celestial event for Europe will be the rare total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026, visible along a narrow band between Madrid and Barcelona in Spain — the first in mainland Europe since 2006. For now, though, eyes across half the world will be turned skyward this weekend, marveling at the blood-red moon as it rises, a timeless spectacle that continues to inspire awe and wonder.
