Watch: Stargazers around the world glimpse 'Blood Moon' lunar eclipse
Saturday, 29 August 2026
Warm-up
- Have you ever watched the Moon or stars at night?
- What special things can you see in the sky where you live?
- Do you prefer the night sky or the sunrise? Why?
Vocabulary
- stargazer
- a person who looks at the night sky to watch stars and planets
- glimpse
- a quick, short look at something
- lunar
- related to the Moon
- eclipse
- when one space object moves into the shadow of another
- rare
- not common; it does not happen often
- align
- to be in a straight line or correct position with something
- witness
- to see an event happen
- horizon
- the line where the land or sea seems to meet the sky
Reading
Stargazers around the world gathered to watch a near-total lunar eclipse on Thursday night and early Friday morning. In some places, people caught a quick glimpse of a rare Blood Moon, when the Sun, Earth and Moon align and the Moon moves into Earth's shadow.
Crowds waited in parks and on rooftops as the Moon slowly darkened and turned a deep red near the horizon. Many people took photos and shared them online. Others simply watched in silence and enjoyed the calm night sky.
The event came only weeks after millions witnessed the most significant solar eclipse in nearly 30 years. For some, the two shows made this season feel special. For others, clouds blocked the view, but they still said the sky brought people together across the globe.
Comprehension
- When did the near-total lunar eclipse happen?
- What made the Moon look red during the event?
- Where did some people wait to watch the eclipse?
- What did many people do while watching the sky?
- What other sky event happened only weeks before?
Grammar focus
Past simple
Use the past simple for finished actions. Regular verbs add -ed (cleaned). Irregular verbs change (buy → bought).
- Stargazers around the world **gathered** to watch a near-total lunar eclipse on Thursday night.
- Many people **took** photos and shared them online.
Grammar exercise
Complete the sentences with the past simple form of the verb in brackets.
- The council (paint) ___ the gates last month.
- Last winter the lake (freeze) ___ for three weeks.
- The museum (open) ___ its new room in March.
- In 2020 the club (win) ___ its first competition.
- Two years ago the farm (plant) ___ apple trees.
Discussion
- Have you ever witnessed an eclipse or meteor shower? Describe it.
- Would you stay up late to see a rare sky event? Why or why not?
- What is the best place in your town to watch the night sky?
- Do you like watching events with crowds, or alone with friends?
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