Skywatchers across India are set to witness a spectacular celestial event tonight as the second lunar eclipse of 2025 unfolds, creating a striking ‘Blood Moon’.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth aligns directly between the Sun and the Moon during a full moon, casting its shadow over the lunar surface. This alignment often gives the Moon a reddish hue, popularly known as the Blood Moon.
According to Priest Mahendra Nath, the eclipse will begin at 9:57 pm and end at 1:26 am, with the Sutak period commencing at 12:57 pm earlier in the day. He advised people—except the elderly, pregnant women, and the sick—to avoid eating during the eclipse.
Nath further noted that the eclipse, falling in the Aquarius zodiac sign, may have astrological effects. He recommended that those under Aquarius chant the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra for protection, while Aries, Scorpio, and Sagittarius may see favorable outcomes.
Meanwhile, OP Gupta, Senior Planetarium Engineer at Nehru Planetarium, explained the astronomical details. In Delhi, the penumbral phase will start at 8:58 pm, followed by the partial eclipse at 9:57 pm. The eclipse will peak at 11:48 pm and last for about 48 minutes in its total phase.
This marks the second lunar eclipse of 2025, the first having occurred in March earlier this year.