On Sunday evening, September 7, observers across Israel will witness a total lunar eclipse. The phenomenon will be visible nationwide in all its stages, as the moon rises shortly after the eclipse begins, albeit initially at a stage difficult to discern unaided.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon traverses the Earth’s shadow. Because the moon’s illumination derives from reflected sunlight, when the Earth is positioned directly between the sun and the moon, sunlight is obstructed and the lunar surface darkens. Such alignment is possible only at full moon, when the three bodies lie along a near-straight line.
Lunar eclipse in Israel
(Video: Erez Erlichman)
The question arises: why not at every full moon? The answer lies in orbital inclination. The moon’s orbital plane is tilted by several degrees relative to the ecliptic, the Earth–sun orbital plane. Typically, the moon passes above or below this plane during full phase, avoiding shadow entry. For an eclipse to occur, the moon must be located on or extremely near the ecliptic at syzygy.
The September 7 eclipse exemplifies this geometry: though the moon will be situated a few degrees south of the ecliptic, its entire disk will pass into Earth’s umbra, the zone of full shadow.
Observation parameters:
The event is visible from any terrestrial location where the moon is above the horizon at the time. Thus, more than half of Earth’s surface will experience it. In Israel, all phases will be observable without optical aid, though telescopes and binoculars enhance visual detail.
Spectral appearance—“Blood Moon”
During totality, the moon assumes a reddish hue. This results from Rayleigh scattering and atmospheric refraction: longer-wavelength red light penetrates Earth’s atmosphere and is refracted into the umbral cone, illuminating the lunar surface. At maximum eclipse, reduced refracted flux can render the moon nearly invisible.
Temporal sequence (Israel Standard Time):
- 18:28 – Penumbral contact begins; moon not yet risen in Israel.
- 18:51 – Moonrise occurs during penumbral shading.
- 19:27 – Umbra ingress; darkening of eastern limb commences.
- 21:12 – Greatest eclipse; full immersion in umbra.
- 21:52 – Egress begins; sunlight returns to western limb.
- 22:56 – Exit from umbra; residual penumbral shading remains.
- 23:55 – Eclipse ends; lunar disk fully illuminated.
Future occurrences: The next non-penumbral eclipse observable in Israel will be a partial lunar eclipse on August 28, 2026, visible only in its terminal stages. The subsequent total eclipse observable in its entirety from Israel will occur on December 31, 2028.