Blood Moon Over the Deck: A Night of Sky, Sea, and Wonder
On a recent sunset sail aboard Schooner Hindu, guests had the chance to learn about a celestial event that took place in the early hours of 3 am that morning. Joining us on board was New York Post astrologer Reda Wigle, who shared her knowledge of the night sky and explained the science behind what is known as a blood moon, turning the deck into a floating observatory beneath the sky.
A blood moon occurs during a total lunar eclipse, when the Earth moves directly between the sun and the moon. As the moon passes through the Earth’s shadow, sunlight is filtered through the Earth’s atmosphere before reaching the moon’s surface. This process scatters shorter blue wavelengths of light while allowing longer red wavelengths to pass through, which gives the moon its deep reddish color during the eclipse. Beautifully, every sunrise and sunset happening around the edges of our planet is projected onto the Moon at once. That is what gives the eclipse its warm copper glow. Standing on deck watching it unfold, the science behind it only made the moment feel more magical.
Reda also pointed out that several planets were visible in the sky and appeared to line up near where the moon would rise later in the evening. These kinds of alignments are reminders of how constantly in motion our solar system is.
Another interesting detail she shared was that the sun and Mercury are currently moving through Pisces. In astrology, Pisces is often associated with water, intuition, and reflection. It felt like a fitting theme to discuss as the day came to a close, while sailing on the open water.
While we did not witness the eclipse during the sail itself, learning about the blood moon while watching the sunset created its own special moment. Experiences like this highlight how sailing connects us not only to the ocean but also to the sky above it. For many people on board, it was a reminder to look up later that night and watch the moon.
Even today, sailors remain closely connected to the rhythms of the natural world. The same sun, moon, and planets that guided sailors for centuries continue to spark curiosity and conversation.
Moments like this remind us why sailors have always looked upward. Long before charts and electronics, the Moon and stars guided people across open water. On this night, they guided us differently, toward curiosity, wonder, and a shared sense of being very small beneath something vast…a simple reminder to take the time to look up.
