Celestial Spectacle - Blood Moon Dazzles Sri Lankan Skies

Last night, the skies over Sri Lanka put on a magnificent show. A full lunar eclipse, commonly known as the Blood Moon graced us with its presence, turning the moon a glowing shade of crimson. I had the chance to experience and photograph this awe-inspiring phenomenon from one of my favourite spots Gange Wadiya campsite in Eluwankulama, right by the Wilpattu forest edge. With zero light pollution and an open sky stretching across the horizon, the location was perfect. As the eclipse unfolded, I watched the moon slowly slip into Earth’s shadow and emerge bathed in deep red. It was surreal.

A Blood Moon happens during a total lunar eclipse, when the Earth moves directly between the sun and the moon, casting its shadow across the moon’s surface. But instead of going completely dark, the moon takes on a deep red or copper hue. This red tint occurs due to a phenomenon known as Rayleigh scattering the same reason why sunsets appear orange or red. As sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere, shorter blue wavelengths are scattered, while the longer red wavelengths bend around the Earth and bathe the moon in a warm, eerie glow.

Events like the Blood Moon have fascinated humans for centuries from ancient myths to modern science. Beyond the visual spectacle, they remind us of the incredible precision of celestial mechanics and the beauty of our place in the cosmos.

In Sri Lanka, we don’t often get perfect weather conditions for a full eclipse, so last night’s experience was truly a gift and one I felt privileged to witness and share.