Spot The Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse This Weekend

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From 7 to 8 September, Malaysians have the chance to witness a rare astronomical phenomenon – a total lunar eclipse.

The total lunar eclipse, also known as the Blood Moon, is expected to take place from 1.28pm on 7 September to 4.55am on 8 September. That’s a total of three hours and 30 minutes.

According to the Malaysia Space Agency (MYSA), the name refers to the deep red hue the moon takes at its peak due to the refraction of sunlight by earth’s atmosphere.

MYSA said the entire sequence can be observed with the naked eye, binoculars, or a telescope if the weather permits.

The eclipse will be visible across Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. In Malaysia, MYSA is hosting a “viewing party” at selected spots such as the Planetarium and Dataran Masjid Putra in Putrajaya.

Myths and superstitions related to the Blood Moon

There are interesting superstitions and myths related to the Blood Moon. Depending on the ancient civilisation, some see the Blood Moon as an omen while others see it as a sign of good luck.

For the Incans, the deep red colouring of the moon is seen as a jaguar attacking and devouring the moon. To prevent the jaguar from returning, the people would shout, shake their spears, and make their dogs bark and howl to drive it away.

In Ancient Mesopotamia, a lunar eclipse is seen as a direct assault on the king. To protect their king, they would appoint a proxy king for the duration of the eclipse. What did the true king do in the meantime? He hides away.

According to Hindu folklores, the reddish moon symbolised the head of the demon Rahu. Rahu drank the elixir of immortality so the sun and moon deities lobbed his head off. Since he’s technically immortal, his head chases the sun and moon to devour them. In other words, the eclipse showed Rahu eating up the moon.

In Chinese tradition, the Blood Moon is believed to be caused by a dragon eating the moon, symbolising a cosmic event of potential disaster or an omen.

In Christianity, some believers see the Blood Moon as the end of times or the Rapture. The Vikings were similar because they saw the Blood Moon as a signal of Ragnarok drawing closer.

Meanwhile, pagans and Wiccans see it as a veil between the earthly and spiritual realms being at its thinnest during this time. This makes it a powerful time for spiritual practices.

In Islam, the Blood Moon or lunar eclipse is not associated with any superstition. The sun and the moon represent deep respect for Allah, so there might be special eclipse prayers (solat sunat gerhana).

In some Indigenous cultures, the Blood Moon is seen as a time of renewal, reflection, and storytelling.

In Feng Shui, the Blood Moon is also seen as a time of deep emotional awakening and the release of old patterns. This is the time to set new intentions and focus on spiritual growth instead of succumbing to anxiety or superstition.

Societies don’t hold these traditions strongly any longer but the tales have good storytelling qualities.

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