Lunar eclipse 2021 pictures: Stunning photos show beaver ‘blood’ moon’s partial eclipse

Friday 19 November 2021 12:21 GMT

(AFP via Getty Images)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The world has been treated to the longest partial lunar eclipse in years, with the Moon turning red.

The spectacle has been captured in a host of pictures that show the glowing crimson orb against the dark sky.

A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, blocking the light from getting to the lunar surface. That means that there appears to be a bite taken out of the Moon, with some of its surface going dark.

What light does get to the Moon has moved through the Earth’s atmosphere. As that light travels past us, it scatters, turning it red so that the Moon appears lit up in a spectacular bloody colour.

Photographers from across the world were able to capture that moment as it happened early on Friday morning UK time.

Here are some of the best of those pictures.