Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — On Sunday night, the Ethiopian capital looked skyward as a rare astronomical drama unfolded. The full moon, usually a silver sentinel above the highlands, turned an otherworldly crimson. The phenomenon, known as a blood moon, is the result of a total lunar eclipse — a celestial alignment of the Sun, Earth, and Moon that transforms the familiar lunar disc into a deep shade of red.
While Addis Ababa offered a perfect vantage point, the eclipse was not confined to Ethiopia. Large swaths of Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Europe and Asia shared the same spectacle, each witnessing the crimson glow as the Earth’s shadow engulfed the Moon. What made it striking for Addis Ababa was the timing and visibility: the entire sequence, from the first shading to the deep red totality, unfolded cleanly overhead.
The Science Behind the Glow
At the heart of the spectacle is Earth’s shadow. When the planet positions itself directly between the Sun and the Moon, the lunar surface falls into darkness. But rather than vanishing, the Moon glows red. The reason lies in Earth’s atmosphere.
No Comment Found.