Jerusalem, February 21, 2008—Seen during a lunar eclipse, the moon takes on an eerie orange glow above the Dome of the Rock Mosque, one of Islam's holiest sites.

It was the last total lunar eclipse—in which the moon falls entirely into Earth's shadow—until 2010. Indirect rays from the sun, passing through Earth's atmosphere, cause the distinctive red aura.

The celestial spectacle was visible to at least a billion people in the Americas, Europe, large parts of Africa, and western Asia, according to experts.

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