"Blood Moon" and Aurora are waiting for you on September 7th. Departure from Vnukovo-3

The Astro Night project invites you to the main space weekend of this year, which will take place in the sky and on Earth: on September 7 aboard an airplane that will take off from Vnukovo-3, and on September 6 in a restaurant PESHI, included in the prestigious Michelin Red Guide. The Astro Night community unites observers, patrons, entrepreneurs, scientists and artists, and all people who seek to learn more about space. The project team is launching an air (d)astro-tourism business to organize flights to view lunar and solar eclipses, the northern Lights, meteor showers, rocket launches, and asteroid falls.

The maximum number of aircraft that will take part in the event on September 7, 2025, reaches eight. Among the main models:

• TU-204-300 and TU-204-100B of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (VIP, business and comfort seats);
• Boeing 757-200 Lujo Black Jet, the only one in Russian aircraft with 72 business class seats;
• Embraer Lineage 1000E for 13 passengers;
• Sukhoi Superjet 100 for 19 passengers and others.

The last total lunar eclipse with excellent visibility from Russia occurred on July 27, 2018, and on November 8, 2022, this phenomenon could only be observed by residents of the Far East. This fall, the moon will be hidden by the shadow of the Earth for almost 1.5 hours, and the upcoming eclipse will be clearly visible in most of the country.:

• 19:26 Moscow time – the beginning of the private phase of the lunar eclipse. At this time, the shadow of the Earth will begin to enter the visible disk of the Moon, and it will become visible to the eye.
• 20:30 – the beginning of the total phase of the lunar eclipse. The moon will turn red.
• 21:11 is the maximum of the eclipse.
• 21:53 – the end of the full phase. The red color of the moon will disappear and the earth's shadow will now look like a black disk. A bright illuminated edge will appear on the left (eastern) edge of the moon's disk.
• 22:57 – the end of the private phase (the phase of the solar eclipse, in which the Moon covers only part of the Sun's disk). The Earth's shadow will completely enter from the Moon's disk, and the eclipse will no longer be visible to the eye.

Bad weather often makes it difficult to observe eclipses, but flying by plane solves this problem. The route laid out by Stanislav Korotkoi, an experienced eclipse chaser, leads to the Arctic Circle. Under the condition of geomagnetic activity, participants will get a unique chance to see the "Blood Moon" and the Northern Lights at the same time. The day before the eclipse, on September 6, the Michelin-starred PESHI restaurant near the Kremlin (Okhotny Ryad, Seasons Gallery) will host the ground part of the event: cocktails with glowing ice, space-style desserts, a set menu in futuristic dishes and near-space music. 

In 2015, tickets for a flight from Murmansk to observe a total solar eclipse, organized by the Astroverts Scientific Travel Club, were sold out in just 2 days. The new flight is the world's first special flight specifically for a lunar eclipse. Departure will take place from the Vnukovo-3 VIP lounge, where the event program will begin – a buffet is waiting for guests. The planes will head for the Northern Urals, after which they will turn over The Arctic Circle at the time of the peak of the eclipse. If there is a geomagnetic disturbance , passengers on the side opposite from the eclipse will see the aurora borealis. Thus, the starboard side will see the first half of the eclipse, the left side will see the second half, and when the Moon and aurora turn around, they will "swap" places for participants from different sides. 

The main board will be accompanied by the legendary popularizer of astronomy Vladimir Surdin, who will comment on the eclipse and explain the phenomenon of the "red moon", and  Stanislav Korotky will conduct a master class and teach participants how to observe the Moon through binoculars and take astrophotographs with cameras and smartphones. An active cosmonaut will also be among the invited experts — the project team has already conducted relevant negotiations with Roscosmos. The interior lighting will be dimmed for better visibility; participants will enjoy an astronomical DJ set and a gastro dinner from the PESHI restaurant.

If passengers have a desire to arrange a romantic event like a marriage proposal at an altitude of 10,000 m , they will need to inform the organizers in advance, and they will help with this an announcement from the guests or the captain of the aircraft.

For me, the main challenge and delight is to calculate the trajectory of this four—hour flight with jewel-like precision. So that every passenger, looking out the window, could see the crimson Moon at the peak of the eclipse — not hidden by clouds, but in the clear Arctic sky. And if we are lucky with the geomagnetic disturbance (and the chances are high!), we will be able to simultaneously capture the aurora flashes and the red Moon on cameras," said Stanislav Korotky.

One of the key tasks of the Guild is to find new ways to popularize science. To really engage people with astronomy and instill a love of science, you need to go beyond lectures and webinars. One of the fascinating ways to talk about space is an aviation expedition, which allows you to reach society as much as possible. All participants in the flight will see the lunar eclipse from the most interesting angle," said Ilya Cech, founder of the Frontiers of Science Guild.

You can read the details and purchase a ticket on the official website of the event. The partners are Roscosmos, Vnukovo-3, PESHI restaurant, SPIRITON and LUXURY UNDERGROUND SYSTEM.