Rare Blood Moon to hang over Sydney in September

Sydney, get ready for a blood moon total lunar eclipse that’ll be visible on September 7, continuing an exciting year for cinematic celestial events like the double meteor shower that happened just a few weeks ago.

These rare lunar eclipses only occur when the Sun, Earth and the Moon are aligned in perfect symmetry. And in that order. Light from the Sun simply illuminates the Moon. The Earth gets in the middle of this process and sunlight simply has to pass through Earth’s atmosphere before it reaches the Moon’s surface. This is essentially what causes the Blood Moon effect, with red light bent towards the Moon in a way that gives off a deep reddish colour.

That’s essentially what a Lunar Eclipse is. A Blood Moon is just a nice little nickname for it. And it’s happening after many months of incredible events for stargazers in Sydney, which has seen everything from the Strawberry Full Moon in February to, shockingly, the Southern Lights.

Can I see the September 2025 Blood Moon in Sydney?

Yes. Kind of.

While anyone in Western Australia will be able to watch the whole show, those of us on the east coast will only get partial coverage of the rare spectacle.

And you’ll need to be up past midnight for it.

The below times (sourced from timeanddate.com) are when the Blood Moon will be visible for keen stargazers hoping to catch a glimpse of the event from Sydney.

Where to watch the September Blood Moon in Sydney?

You’ll need to plan ahead if you want to see the Blood Moon in Sydney during the early hours of September 8. As always, the best views are in areas as far from the city lights as possible. The ideal locations are Royal National Park, Kuring-Gai Chase, North Head, Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands and Wollemi National Park. These places typically offering excellent stargazing opportunities as they are surrounded by darkness at night.

If that sounds like too much of a trek for you, a lot of people have had luck before on the beach of Eastern Sydney. Particularly Bondi Beach, where the moon looks incredible set against the water.

Want to turn this cosmic event into a mini getaway? Camp overnight at Cockatoo Island, Cattai Campground near the Hawkesbury River, or book a stay in a luxury bubble tent in the Capertee Valley, just 2.5 hours from Sydney, for a front-row view of the sky.

Tips for a successful stargazing night

• Get away from city lights: Head to a national park or open area with minimal light pollution.
• Use a sky map or stargazing app: Apps like Stellarium can help you locate the constellations Aquarius and Capricornus, where the meteors will appear to originate.
• Let your eyes adjust: It takes 20–30 minutes for your eyes to fully adapt to the dark.
• Dress for winter: Pack blankets, warm layers and maybe even a thermos. Whatever you do, prepare to be outside for a while.
• Be patient: Meteor showers are best experienced lying down, looking up and soaking it all in.