See stunning photos of the longest 'blood moon' lunar eclipse of the century that swept across the Eastern Hemisphere

Skywatchers in Europe and Africa were first to see the fantastic eclipse.

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This particular eclipse occurred during what's called a "micro" moon, or the opposite of a super moon.

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This happens because the moon's orbit isn't perfectly circular, so it appears larger at times and smaller at others during its roughly 29-day-long orbit around Earth.

While the eclipse wasn't visible in North America, viewers in the Eastern Hemisphere were treated to a stunning lunar vista.

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The total eclipse lasted for one hour and 43 minutes, with the entire event, including the partial eclipse, lasting three hours and 55 minutes.

It was certainly a dazzling display of color.

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If the eclipse looks stunning from Earth, it looks even more surreal to a viewer actually on the moon.

According to a NASA visualization, Earth will look like it's surrounded by a ring of fire — with its sunset and sunrise connected in a loop.

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But for most of us, this stunning view of the moon on our home turf is plenty sufficient.

"This is what life is all about: Magical moments like this," an onlooker in Kenya told Reuters. "It's just beautiful. It's well worth it."

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