Moon blocks satellite views of the sun before lunar eclipse | Space photo of the day for Sept. 9, 2025

In early September 2025, skywatchers in parts of the Eastern Hemisphere were treated to a total lunar eclipse as Earth blocked the sun's light from the moon. The eclipse occurred in the evening of Sept. 7 as the moon slipped into shadow and transformed into the infamous "blood moon" for a few minutes.

Interestingly, satellites orbiting Earth saw something very, very different.

What is it?

Two of the weather satellites launched by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) — Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) 18 and 19 (also known as GOES West and GOES East) — witnessed not one but two eclipses the evening of Sept. 7.

These two satellites are part of NOAA's larger mission to monitor Earth and space weather and study changes in Earth's environment in high resolution. But while their eyes look Earthward, their gaze recently caught both a solar and lunar eclipse.

Where is it?

According to NOAA, the GOES-18 satellite is positioned above the "western contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Central America and the Pacific Ocean," while the GOES-19 satellite is located to scan a wider swath of Earth, including "North America, including the continental United States and Mexico, as well as Central and South America, the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean to the west coast of Africa."

Why is it amazing?

While skywatchers on Earth saw a lunar eclipse, due to their positioning in space, both GOES satellites were treated to a solar eclipse and then the lunar eclipse, mere hours apart.

A solar eclipse happens when the moon blocks the view of the sun on Earth while, in contrast, Earth blocks the sun's light on the moon for a lunar eclipse.

Given their locations above our planet, both GOES-18 and GOES-19 caught stunning details of the sun in high resolution before they were momentarily blocked by the moon in a solar eclipse. This eclipse happened from 4:40 a.m. to 5:28 a.m. EDT (0840 to 0928 GMT) for GOES-18, and 12:34 am to 1:22 a.m. EDT ( 0434 to 0522 GMT) for GOES-19. Videos of this solar eclipse can be seen on the CIMSS Satellite Blog.

Hours later, the lunar eclipse happened at 1:30 p.m. EDT (1730 GMT) in the Eastern Hemisphere. Witnessing two eclipses in a single day is a rare celestial coincidence, a reminder that the universe still has a few breathtaking surprises up its sleeve.

Want to learn more?

You can read more about the GOES satellites and recent lunar eclipse.