2025’s longest Blood Moon: Festive night out

On Sunday evening, Male’ city streets buzzed with excitement as residents flocked to witness the year’s longest lunar eclipse, a stunning blood moon that painted the night sky.

The eclipse kicked off at 20:28, drawing crowds to the beaches of Raalhugandu and Rasfannu. Armed with phones and cameras, locals captured the moon’s dramatic transformation. 

Unlike a typical lunar eclipse, this Blood Moon (named for its vivid red hue caused by the red-coloured light penetrating the Earth's atmosphere and falling refracted onto the moon) reached totality at 23:11, lasting an impressive 82 minutes.

The Maldives’ equatorial position offered an unobstructed view of the entire eclipse, from start to finish, with clear skies enhancing visibility.

As the longest blood moon this year, the September full moon came coupled with an eclipse, giving Maldivians an extended window to marvel at the crimson spectacle, with the moon appearing closer and completely full.

By 23:12, the largest mosque on every inhabited island held eclipse prayers, a tradition uniting communities under the cosmic rarity. From balconies to beaches, the nation gazed skyward, captivated by the celestial show.