Mysuru: Stargazers were treated to a breathtaking celestial spectacle on Sunday night as the Moon transformed into a rare ‘Blood Moon’ during a total lunar eclipse — the longest since 2022.

To mark the occasion, Chamarajanagar’s Gravity Science Foundation, in collaboration with JSS Institutions, Sri Suttur Srikshetra, had organised a special Total Lunar Eclipse Watching Programme for hostel students of Sri Suttur Srikshetra.

The event began with a special lecture on eclipses by A.S. Abhishek, Founder and Secretary of Gravity Science Foundation, who explained the science behind this awe-inspiring phenomenon. Following the session, students observed the eclipse from 8.45 pm to 2.30 am using specially arranged telescopes and equipment.

The partial phase of the eclipse began at 9.57 pm, with totality commencing at 11.01 pm. For 82 magical minutes, from 11.01 pm to 12.23 am, the Moon was completely enveloped in Earth’s shadow, glowing a deep, otherworldly red.

Participants keenly tracked each stage — from the entry into the penumbra, the partial eclipse, the umbra phase, to the spellbinding totality, when the Moon turned a striking crimson hue.

The Blood Moon effect, Abhishek explained, Earth comes between the Sun and Moon, blocking direct sunlight. Earth’s atmosphere bends and filters sunlight, scattering away blue light and letting red light pass through. This red light falls on the Moon, making it appear coppery or reddish — a phenomenon that has intrigued cultures for millennia.

Veerabhadraiah, Assistant Coordinator of JSS Institutions, along with science teachers Bharath Acharya, Basavanna, Vinod and Kumar and Gravity Science Foundation members Somaraju and Naveen, guided the students through the event.

With around 500 students participating, the programme offered a rare hands-on learning experience, blending science education with the wonder of witnessing one of nature’s most spectacular cosmic events.