Hyderabad, Sept. 8 -- A rare total lunar eclipse, widely known as a "blood moon," lit up the skies over Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and several Arab countries on Sunday night, September 7, marking one of the longest celestial events of its kind in recent years.

The eclipse lasted around 83 minutes, during which the moon turned a striking red as Earth passed directly between the Sun and the lunar surface. The event was also visible across Asia, Africa, Australia and parts of Europe.

In Saudi Arabia, thousands of worshippers gathered to perform Khusuf prayers at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah and mosques nationwide. Similar prayers were held in the UAE in accordance with Islamic tradition duri...