This Weekend’s Sky Spectacle: ‘Blood Moon’ Eclipse, Auroras & Meteor Showers (Sept 7

Total “Blood Moon” eclipse: A spectacular total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7–8 will turn the full Moon deep red for about 82–83 minutes, one of the longest in recent years ^[1]. It’s visible across a huge swath of the globe – Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe, even parts of Antarctica – giving billions the chance to see Earth’s shadow paint the Moon crimson ^[2] ^[3].
Aurora alert: Recent solar storms mean Northern Lights might dazzle skywatchers at high latitudes. NOAA forecast a minor G1 geomagnetic storm (Kp ~5) for Saturday night Sept. 6–7 – potentially pushing auroras as far south as the northern U.S. states ^[4]. Activity should calm by Sunday night (Kp ~4) ^[5], but bright auroras remain likely in Canada, Northern Europe, and other high-latitude areas.
Saturn & planets shining:Saturn is currently at its brightest, nearing its Sept. 21 opposition. The ringed planet is visible all night in September ^[6] – and on Sept. 7 it will sit right next to the eclipsed Moon in the sky ^[7]. Meanwhile, Venus and Jupiter continue to beam as brilliant “morning stars” before dawn in the eastern sky ^[8].
Minor meteor showers: Early September brings only weak meteor showers. The Aurigids (peaked Sept. 1) and the epsilon Perseids (peaking Sept. 9) produce at most ~5–10 meteors per hour ^[9] ^[10]. The bad news: the bright Moon around full phase will wash out many “shooting stars” during the nights of Sept. 7–8. Don’t expect a major meteor display – just a few stray streaks if you’re lucky.
Falling satellites (no cause for alarm): A few satellite re-entries are expected around this weekend. For example, multiple older Starlink satellites are predicted to burn up in the atmosphere around September 7 ^[11]. These re-entering satellites (or rocket stages) can create brief fireball-like trails, akin to slow meteors, as they disintegrate – a neat sight if caught by observers, but they pose no danger on the ground. (Space agencies routinely track and safely dispose of defunct satellites as part of debris mitigation.)

Total “Blood Moon” Lunar Eclipse on Sept. 7

The headline event is undoubtedly Sunday’s total lunar eclipse, whimsically nicknamed a “Blood Moon” for the eerie red color the Moon takes on. On the night of September 7–8, Earth will slide directly between the Sun and the full Moon, casting our planet’s shadow across the Moon’s face ^[12]. During the peak totality phase (lasting about 1 hour 22 minutes), the Moon will be completely engulfed in Earth’s dark umbral shadow ^[13]. Instead of vanishing entirely, the Moon glows red-orange – the result of sunlight filtering through Earth’s atmosphere and onto the Moon. As NASA explains, Earth’s air scatters the bluer wavelengths of sunlight and bends reddish light into the shadow, painting the Moon coppery-red ^[14] (the same physics that makes sunsets glow red, known as Rayleigh scattering ^[15]).

When and where to see it? The eclipse happens around moonrise in the evening of Sept. 7 for Africa and Europe, and near midnight or the early hours of Sept. 8 for Asia and Australia. Virtually all of Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and surrounding regions will catch at least part of the show (weather permitting) ^[16]. This wide visibility makes it a truly global skywatching event – NASA notes each lunar eclipse is visible from roughly half of Earth ^[17], and this one’s path covers regions home to billions of people. Unfortunately, North and South America will miss out (the eclipse occurs daytime for those longitudes). For observers in Warsaw and across Europe, the Moon will rise already eclipsed on Sunday evening, then emerge from Earth’s shadow later at night. <table><tr><td>🕓</td><td><strong>Key eclipse timings (UTC):</strong> Partial eclipse begins ~16:26 UTC; Totality lasts from 17:30 to 18:53 UTC, with maximum eclipse at 18:11 UTC:contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}. That corresponds to the Moon appearing red from ~7:30–8:53 PM BST (London) or 8:30–9:53 PM CEST (Warsaw). Check a reliable source like TimeandDate for exact timings in your location.</td></tr></table>

This eclipse is drawing excitement not just for its long duration (totality ~83 minutes ^[18]) but also for its vivid color. During totality the Moon could turn a dark brick-red or a brighter coppery hue, depending on how clear Earth’s atmosphere is. Some are calling it one of the most striking lunar eclipses in years. “Skywatchers are in for a real treat… it could be one of the most stunning lunar events we’ve seen in years,” noted one report ^[19]. There’s nothing to fear about the Blood Moon – despite folklore, it’s purely an enchanting spectacle of nature. “Indian astronomers say to go out and enjoy this beautiful spectacle… there are no demons…,” one science news article whimsically noted ^[20], debunking old superstitions. In short, don’t miss it – just find a clear sky and enjoy the celestial show. Unlike a solar eclipse, lunar eclipses are perfectly safe to view with the naked eye (no filters needed) ^[21], and you can even use binoculars or a telescope for a closer look at the red Moon’s surface.

Bonus: During the eclipse, Saturn will be hovering nearby in the constellation Aquarius. The full Moon actually sits near Saturn in the sky on Sept. 7–8 ^[22]. When the Moon is in deep shadow (and its glare fades), you might notice a bright “star” just a few degrees away – that’s Saturn! In fact, Saturn’s rings and moons are a great target with a small telescope while you’re out. So on eclipse night, you get a two-for-one special: a red Moon and Saturn’s rings (through a scope) in the same evening sky ^[23].

Auroras Possible from Geomagnetic Storms

Hot on the heels of the eclipse, nature may offer another sky spectacle: the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights). In the past week, the Sun has been unusually feisty – including a “cannibal” coronal mass ejection that struck Earth on Sept. 1 and sparked dazzling auroras as far south as the northern US and Europe ^[24]. Now, a high-speed solar wind stream is buffeting Earth’s magnetic field, keeping aurora watchers on alert. The U.S. Space Weather Prediction Center (NOAA SWPC) issued a geomagnetic storm watch for this weekend. According to NOAA’s forecast, minor G1-level geomagnetic storms were expected late Saturday (Sep 6) into early Sunday (Sep 7) ^[25], potentially pushing the Northern Lights into unusually low latitudes. In fact, NOAA predicted a Kp index of 5 (on a 0–9 scale) for Saturday night – meaning auroras could be seen as far south as, say, northern Iowa in the United States under dark skies ^[26].

By Sunday night (Sep 7) and Monday (Sep 8), geomagnetic activity is forecast to diminish slightly (max Kp around 4 to 3) ^[27]. That implies the auroras will retreat back toward higher latitudes, but may still put on a nice show in places like Canada, Alaska, Northern Europe (Scotland, Scandinavia), and of course near the Arctic Circle. In those regions, if skies are clear, look north after dark for green or red glows low on the horizon. The best hours are typically around local midnight, and away from city lights.

Even if you’re not in the far north, it’s worth keeping an eye out – auroras can sometimes surprise forecasters. Just last week’s solar storm reached G2 (moderate) level ^[28] and treated skywatchers in e.g. Germany, Poland, and U.K. to rare auroral displays. If another burst of solar wind or a small CME arrives unexpectedly, the Northern Lights might again dip southward. Websites and apps can provide real-time aurora alerts if you’re keen. But as of now, experts expect only mild auroral activity on Sept 7–8. “Calmer auroral activity is expected Sunday and Monday nights, with a maximum Kp of just over 4 and 3 forecast, respectively,” one report noted ^[29]. So the bottom line: high-latitude readers have a good chance to enjoy auroras this weekend, but those farther south might need luck and darkness on their side.

(Fun fact: The Sun is approaching the peak of its 11-year cycle (around 2025), so solar flares and aurora-causing eruptions are on the rise ^[30]. This means 2025–2026 should continue to bring more frequent Northern Lights sightings than we’ve had in years. Keep your eyes on the space weather news!)

Saturn’s Starring Role & Morning Planets

Not to be outshined by the Moon, Saturn is also putting on a show this month. In fact, NASA says “Saturn will be putting on an out-of-this-world performance” throughout September ^[31]. That’s because the ringed planet is nearing opposition on Sept. 21, when Earth comes directly between Saturn and the Sun. In the weeks around opposition, Saturn is at its closest and brightest for the year ^[32] – effectively acting as one of the “stars” of the night. You can spot Saturn easily now: it rises in the east at dusk, shines a steady golden color all night, and sets in the west by dawn. At magnitude ~0.6–0.7 it’s among the brightest points in the night sky ^[33] (not as brilliant as Venus or Jupiter, but outshining most stars). If you have a telescope, even a small one, now is a fantastic time to observe Saturn’s famous rings. The rings are nearly edge-on this year (tilted only ~2° to our line of sight ^[34]), but you can still glimpse them as a thin disk encircling the planet. And Saturn’s largest moon Titan can be spotted as a tiny dot nearby. Viewing Saturn never gets old – it’s a crowd-pleaser for skywatchers.

On the night of Sept. 7, as noted earlier, Saturn will be sitting right beside the eclipsed Moon ^[35]. While the bright full Moon would normally overpower nearby stars, during the eclipse the Moon’s dimmed glow might let you pick out Saturn with the naked eye just a few degrees away. It’s a great chance to find Saturn: simply locate the (reddish) Moon, and Saturn will be the bright point very close to it. After the eclipse, the Moon and Saturn will drift apart in the sky, but Saturn remains visible each night in Pisces (near the Aquarius border).

Meanwhile, other planets are doing their part to impress:

Venus is a dazzling “Morning Star” right now. After spending mid-year hidden near the Sun, Venus emerged in August as an extremely bright object before dawn. In early September it shines at about magnitude –4 (super bright!) low in the eastern sky about 1–2 hours before sunrise ^[36]. If you’re up early (around 5–6 AM local time), look east for an unblinking white beacon – that’s Venus. It will remain a morning object for the rest of 2025. (Extra treat: On Sept. 19, Venus will have a close conjunction with the crescent Moon and Regulus, but that’s beyond our weekend window ^[37].)
Jupiter is also becoming a late-night/morning presence. The King of Planets rises around midnight or later in the east, and by the pre-dawn hours it’s high in the southern sky (for Northern Hemisphere observers). Jupiter is nearly as bright as Venus (about –2 magnitude) ^[38], so it’s very easy to spot once it’s up – a bold white-yellow “star.” Through binoculars or a telescope you might catch Jupiter’s four big moons or even some cloud bands. Jupiter will reach opposition later in the fall, so it’s only getting better in coming weeks.
Mercury and Mars are relatively quiet now. Mercury made a brief appearance low in the morning sky earlier in the month, but by Sept. 7 it’s approaching the Sun and very difficult to see ^[39]. Mars, on the other hand, is lost in the Sun’s glare on the opposite side (having passed behind the Sun). So you likely won’t spot Mars again until it reappears in the dawn sky a couple of months from now.

In summary, night owls and early birds both have planets to enjoy. Evening belongs to Saturn (and dimmer Uranus/Neptune for telescope users), while the pre-dawn hours showcase brilliant Venus and Jupiter in the east ^[40]. These planets don’t require any optical aid – just your eyes and a clear view of the horizon.

Minor Meteor Showers Under a Bright Moon

September is not known for major meteor showers, and 2025 is no exception. No big meteor storm is expected this weekend – but that doesn’t mean the sky is completely empty of shooting stars. There are a couple of minor meteor showers active, though their peak activity and observing conditions are less than ideal:

The Aurigids: This minor shower, emanating from the constellation Auriga, peaked in the pre-dawn hours of Sept. 1. At best it produces around 5–10 meteors per hour under dark skies ^[41]. By the nights of Sept. 7–8, the Aurigid activity has basically subsided. If you did catch any meteors in early September, they might have been stragglers from this shower. However, moonlight likely overpowered most Aurigids during its peak – the Moon was half-lit and up most of the night on Sept. 1, badly washing out the faint meteors ^[42].
The September epsilon Perseids: Despite the name, this is a completely different (and much weaker) shower than August’s famous Perseids. The September ε-Perseids are a minor shower peaking around Sept. 9 with at most ~5 meteors per hour ^[43]. Unfortunately, timing isn’t favorable – the peak comes only two days after the full Moon. That means any meteors around the peak (including the nights of Sept. 7–8 leading up to it) have to compete with a lunar glare in the sky ^[44]. During the full Moon, only the very brightest meteors will be visible; the rest get washed out in the moonlight. So even though this shower is active, you’ll likely only catch a few meteors at best.
The Daytime Sextantids: This is a quirky meteor shower that occurs in late September (peaks around Sept. 27) and is called “daytime” because its radiant is near the Sun – meaning the meteors mostly occur during daylight ^[45]. You might catch a few of these very early in the morning just before sunrise late in the month, but not during the Sept 7–8 window.

In short, expect only very sporadic meteors this weekend. If you’re out late at night (perhaps enjoying the eclipse or auroras!), you might see a random fireball or two – there are always some random “sporadic” meteors any given night. But with the Moon’s brightness near full, even those chances are slim. The Moon will rise early in the evening and be shining nearly all night on Sept. 7–8 (except when eclipsed), which greatly reduces meteor visibility ^[46].

If you do want to try meteor watching despite the moonlight, a few tips: face away from the Moon (to reduce glare in your eyes), find as dark a location as possible, and be patient. The pre-dawn hours (after moonset or when the Moon is low) are usually best – but in this case the Moon is up almost until sunrise. Realistically, meteors are not the main attraction this weekend. Save your energy for October, when the Orionids will peak under better conditions, or for the famous winter showers (Geminids, anyone?) later in the year.

Falling Satellites and “Space Junk” Fireballs

Interestingly, not all streaks of light in the sky this weekend will be natural. Human-made satellites are coming down too! Earth’s orbit is becoming a bit cleaner as several pieces of space hardware are set to re-enter the atmosphere around September 7–8. While these events aren’t broadly advertised like eclipses, they can sometimes be spotted as dramatic bright fireballs tracing across the sky.

According to tracking data from The Aerospace Corporation’s reentry database, multiple objects have reentries forecast in early September. For instance, a couple of defunct Starlink internet satellites (from SpaceX) are predicted to burn up on Sept. 7, 2025 ^[47]. Each of these satellites is a few hundred kilograms and will incinerate at high altitude due to atmospheric friction. If one happens to reenter during nighttime over your region, observers could witness a slow-moving, fragmentation-prone fireball – essentially a man-made “meteor” briefly lighting up the sky. However, precisely when and where these objects will reenter is uncertain to within hours and thousands of kilometers, so it’s mostly a matter of lucky timing if you see one. (Most likely, they’ll streak unnoticed over an ocean or unpopulated area.)

In addition to small satellites, old rocket stages are also coming down. Just days after the weekend, on Sept. 10, an unused Chinese CZ-4B rocket booster from a 2013 launch is expected to reenter atmosphere as well ^[48]. Such reentries sometimes make the news when seen over populated areas, appearing as a train of bright fragments blazing across the sky. In early September there have also been reports of Soviet-era Cosmos satellites finally reentering after decades in orbit ^[49] – a reminder that space debris eventually returns to Earth. The increased solar activity in 2025 is partially responsible, as a warmed, expanded upper atmosphere creates more drag on old satellites, hastening their demise.

For the public, there’s no danger from these reentries – the vast majority of debris burns up completely, and space agencies take care to minimize risks. (Any larger pieces that might survive are aimed at remote ocean regions.) It’s actually a positive step toward reducing orbital junk. If you do happen to witness an unexpected bright, slow fireball this weekend that doesn’t quite behave like a normal meteor, you might have caught one of these satellite reentries. They tend to move a bit slower than natural meteors and often break into multiple glowing pieces. Feel free to just enjoy the surprise show, and maybe make a wish – on a “falling satellite” instead of a falling star!

Bottom line: The nights of September 7–8, 2025 are packed with skywatching delights. The Moon will steal the spotlight with a long total lunar eclipse turning it red for over an hour – a must-see event. At the same time, the Sun’s recent tantrums could deliver auroral glows in the northern skies. Planets like Saturn (bright all night) and Venus/Jupiter (dazzling at dawn) provide additional eye candy. And while meteor activity is low, the universe (and our satellites) might still throw in a few surprises. Clear skies! This is a great weekend to look up and appreciate the ever-changing, wondrous night sky above us.

Sources: NASA Skywatching Bulletin ^[50] ^[51]; EarthSky.org ^[52] ^[53]; NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center ^[54] ^[55]; Star Walk Astronomy Calendar ^[56] ^[57]; The Aerospace Corporation Reentry Database ^[58] ^[59]; Times of India ^[60] ^[61]; NDTV Science ^[62] ^[63].