The world is gazing at the skies tonight as a partial lunar eclipse makes the Moon appear red in the sky – 50 years to the day since the launch of Apollo 11.
Stargazers in Britain gathered on London’s Primrose Hill to see the ‘half-blood Moon’ – a full Moon partially hidden by Earth’s shadow – above the landmarks of the capital on Tuesday night.
Elsewhere in Europe there were spectacular views in the skies of Austria, France and Greece, where a fuller Moon hung above the ancient Temple of Poseidon.
The event will also take place over much of Asia, Africa, eastern parts of South America, and the western parts of Australia.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth, Sun, and Moon are almost exactly in line and the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun.
As the Moon moves into Earth’s shadow, it is illuminated by a small amount of sunlight that passes through our atmosphere – producing the unusual red colour.
Tonight’s eclipse is particularly well-timed as the Moon is on the public mind anyway, half a century exactly since Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin began their historic journey to the lunar surface.
PRIMROSE HILL, LONDON, UK: The red half-blood moon appears over the London skyline, including landmarks such as The Shard, as seen from Primrose Hill – one of the best vantage points over the capital – on Tuesday evening
ISTANBUL, TURKEY: The full red Moon is seen over the Hagia Sophia – a centuries-old building that was once a Greek Orthodox cathedral, then a mosque – in Turkey’s largest city on Tuesday night
SPEYER, GERMANY: A partial lunar eclipse rise during a firework at the Brezel festival in Germany on Tuesday night
CAPE SOUNION, GREECE: The moon appears huge and red in the sky, partially covered by the Earth’s shadow, above the ancient Temple of Poseidon in Cape Sounion, east of Athens in Greece
STOODLEY PIKE, WEST YORKSHIRE, UK: The partial lunar eclipse is seen, although itself partially hidden by cloud, above Stoodley Pike near Todmorden, West Yorkshire, on Tuesday night
BERLIN, GERMANY: The red-coloured Moon hangs in the sky above the double-decker Oberbaumbrücke, one of the landmarks of the German capital
SIDMOUTH, DEVON, UK: The red-coloured ‘half-blood Moon’ above south-west England on Tuesday night
MUDEFORD, DORSET, UK: The Moon over the Needles as seen from Avon beach in Mudeford, Dorset, on Tuesday night
PRIMROSE HILL, LONDON, UK: Stargazers gather at the London park to watch the eclipse above the skyline tonight
ARNHEM, NETHERLANDS: The Moon appears more brown and orange in this picture taken in the Dutch city
JODRELL BANK, CHESHIRE, UK: The partial lunar eclipse appears almost flaming above the observatory in northern England
PRIMROSE HILL, LONDON, UK: The Moon hangs above the lights and towers of London at the peak of the partial eclipse
TYNEMOUTH PRIORY, UK: Part of the Moon is visible above the medieval ruins of Tynemouth Priory in north-east England
JAKARTA, INDONESIA: The Moon during a lunar eclipse – half a century exactly since the launch of Apollo 11 in 1969
SIDMOUTH, DEVON: One stargazer puts his arm around another’s shoulder as they watch the eclipse in the South West
BERLIN, GERMANY: The Moon appears a bright orange colour, although partially obscured, in this picture in Germany
STOODLEY PIKE, WEST YORKSHIRE, UK: In this image, part of the moon appears brightly illuminated in the sky
BRASILIA, BRAZIL: Part of the red-coloured Moon is visible through a candle-holder in this picture in the Brazilian capital
VIENNA, AUSTRIA: A man stands in front of his telescope as he attends with other people for the partial lunar eclipse