Blood moon over Concordia

This composite shows the total lunar eclipse of 8 September 2025 as seen from Concordia Station in Antarctica. Between 1:00 and 4:00 local time, the crew sequenced the Moon’s passage through Earth’s shadow, from bright silver to deep red and back again.

While around 85% of the world’s population had the chance to view this eclipse, Concordia offered a rare vantage point — perched on Dome C plateau at –80 °C, just a few weeks after the first sunrise since May.

Each year, ESA sponsors a medical doctor to live and work at Concordia through the long Antarctic winter. This year, Dr Nina Purvis from the United Kingdom has joined the DC21 crew – the 21st team to winterover at the station – to study how humans adapt to isolation, darkness and extreme cold. Her research will help prepare for future missions to the Moon and Mars.

Follow Nina’s updates and explore stories from past ESA-sponsored doctors on our Concordia blog.