“What a View”: Cape Town Content Creator Captures Time-Lapse of Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse

• A Cape Town content creator filmed the entire blood moon eclipse from Table Mountain, capturing the moon's transformation
• The 82-minute total lunar eclipse was one of the longest of the decade, with the footage showing the moon gradually being engulfed by Earth's shadow
• South Africans who missed the rare celestial event were amazed by the clear views from Cape Town, with the video attracting over 170,000 views

A Cape Town content creator has given South Africans front-row seats to one of nature's most spectacular shows after capturing the entire blood moon eclipse in breathtaking detail. The viral footage was shared on 7 September 2025, with the caption:

"Watch the blood moon become totally eclipsed by the Earth's shadow! As seen from Table Mountain ⛰️" showed the rare celestial event as it unfolded over the Mother City.

Content creator @see.and.savour filmed the moon's dramatic transformation from its usual silver glow to a deep reddish colour. The time-lapse video captured every moment of the eclipse, from when it started until the moon rose high in the sky and eventually disappeared into darkness.

The stunning footage attracted over 170,000 views and more than 16,800 reactions as people from around the world watched the eclipse unfold from Table Mountain's unique vantage point. Many viewers were particularly impressed by the clear view of the moon against Cape Town's iconic mountain backdrop, making it one of the most visually striking eclipse recordings shared online.

Mzansi reacts to blood moon time-lapse

South Africans flooded the comments section with their thoughts on the spectacular footage:

@bigbyatygyal joked:

"I know everyone is getting their pics from Pinterest, but I can't prove it."

@Robbie praised:

"God's universe is so amazing and beautiful🙏"

@juanhickley2 shared:

"Thank you for the great video🙏 But the earth has nothing to do with the moon whatsoever... The earth is stationary for the last 6000 years and hasn't moved since God made it."

@Li-Q_Skj commented:

"Not the best but yeah, it looks beautiful."

@Malaboo85 noted:

"I won't take credit for this. A friend of mine took this photo last night."

@fayaadw wondered:

"I wonder if Rita is looking at this same moon at this same moment. I like that. Connected by light."

@BaldEagle observed:

"Our moon didn't move that fast."

@Dondon gushed:

"What an incredible view! 🥹🥹"

Why the moon turns red during eclipses

According to experts at National Geographic, a blood moon happens when the Earth moves between the sun and the moon, causing Earth’s shadow to fall on the moon. Instead of going completely dark, the moon turns red because sunlight bends through Earth’s atmosphere, blocking blue light and letting red light pass through.

The eclipse this September lasted 82 minutes, making it one of the longest in years. The moon can look different shades, from orange to dark red, depending on how clear the atmosphere is. This time, it appeared bright orange-red because the air was fairly clear.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

Next lunar eclipse after 2025

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) states that the next total lunar eclipse will occur on 3 March 2026. This event will be visible across Asia, Australia, the Pacific Islands and parts of North and South America. Observers can enjoy 58 minutes of total eclipse, with the complete event unfolding over five hours and 39 minutes.

For those in South Africa, the next lunar eclipse will be a partial lunar eclipse on 28 August 2026. While not a total eclipse, it will still offer an amazing view as the Earth's shadow partially covers the Moon.

More stories about space

• Briefly News recently reported on South Africans preparing for the blood moon eclipse, but what had people most excited was discovering the exact times to catch the best views and the werewolf jokes that followed.
• A Unisa astrophysicist won a prestigious global prize for his space research, though the real surprise was learning how he plans to use the financial grant to help African students.
• A South African man captured stunning blood moon footage with his Samsung S25 Ultra, but what impressed people most was discovering just how clear smartphone cameras have become for astrophotography.

Updated by Hilary Sekgota, Human Interest HOD at Briefly News.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News