Total Lunar Eclipse
December 20, 2029
● BLOOD MOON
A winter-solstice-season blood moon with 54 minutes of totality, well placed for Europe and Africa. Visible from Europe, Africa, the Americas, and western Asia.
Key Facts
Type
Total (Blood Moon)
Date (UTC)
December 20, 2029
Maximum (UTC)
22:42 UTC
Umbral Magnitude
1.1174
Peak Obscuration
100%
Saros Series
135
Global Timeline
| Stage | Time |
|---|---|
| Penumbral eclipse begins | 19:43 UTC |
| Partial (umbral) eclipse begins | 20:55 UTC |
| Totality begins | 22:15 UTC |
| Maximum eclipse | 22:42 UTC |
| Totality ends | 23:09 UTC |
| Partial (umbral) eclipse ends | 00:29 UTC |
| Penumbral eclipse ends | 01:41 UTC |
What You'll See
This is a true blood moon: the Moon passes completely into Earth's umbra. During totality, the only light reaching the lunar surface is sunlight bent through Earth's atmosphere — the blue wavelengths scatter away and the Moon glows copper-red.
Where it's visible: Europe, Africa, the Americas, and western Asia. A lunar eclipse is visible from anywhere the Moon is above the horizon while it is in Earth's shadow — no equipment or eye protection needed. Check your exact local circumstances with the live visibility checker.
Photographing This Eclipse
- Use a tripod and a telephoto lens (200mm+) for a large lunar disk.
- Bracket exposures: the eclipsed portion is thousands of times dimmer than the sunlit sliver.
- During totality, try ISO 400–1600 at 1/4s–2s depending on aperture.
- Full guides: Fred Espenak's lunar eclipse photography guide and Sky at Night's how-to.