A blood moon rose in the night sky this week, offering a dazzling celestial event for people across multiple continents.

Blood moons occur during a total lunar eclipse, which is when Earth is positioned between the sun and the moon. The only sunlight that can reach the moon comes from the edges of the Earth's atmosphere, giving the moon a red glow, according to NASA .

The term "blood moon" can also be used to describe the moon when it is red due to haze, smoke or dust, the agency notes.

Photos from around the world show the spectacle, which could be seen in Asia, Australia, Europe and Africa.

The next total lunar eclipse, which will be visible in the Americas, will be in March.

In this image taken with double exposure, a total lunar eclipse cast a "blood moon" over the night sky

See Full Page