This Sunday, 7 September, Europe will witness a total lunar eclipse—a “blood moon”—visible across much of the continent. Lasting around 82 minutes, it will be the longest total lunar eclipse since 2022. During the event, the Earth passes directly between the sun and moon, casting a shadow that allows only red-hued light to reach the lunar surface.
Historically, blood moons carried rich symbolism. Civilizations from Babylon to China and Central America often interpreted them as omens of death, war, or disaster. Some African cultures, like the Batammaliba of Togo and Benin, saw them as opportunities for reconciliation and renewal, linking the celestial event to peace in communities.
Today, perspectives diverge. Astronomers, such as Florian Freistetter, emphasize the eclipse’s aesthetic and scientific intrigue, dismissing any predictive power: “There is no connection between blood moons and natural disasters.” Astrologers, meanwhile, view the event as a moment of symbolic turning points, reflecting patterns and cycles in personal and societal life rather than causing events.
The debate between astrology and astronomy echoes historical tensions. In antiquity, the two fields were intertwined, while the Enlightenment brought a mechanistic, reason-based view of nature that marginalized astrology. Yet astrologers argue that their practice is a structured interpretive system, based on the zodiac, planetary positions, and cycles—a “hermeneutic” rather than a causal science.
As Europe looks skyward this weekend, the blood moon offers a rare opportunity: whether as a scientific marvel, a cultural symbol, or a moment for reflection, it is a spectacular reminder of our enduring fascination with the cosmos.
