Curiosity and awe have greeted a complete lunar eclipse, the longest one of this century and visible across much of the world.

The so-called "blood moon," when it turns a deep red, was visible at different times in Australia, Africa, Asia, Europe and South America when the sun, Earth and moon lined up perfectly, casting Earth's shadow on the moon.

The total eclipse lasted 1 hour and 43 minutes, with the entire event lasting closer to four hours.

Rio de Janeiro's spectators cheered when the blood moon emerged from the fog. Hundreds of people watched at a fort overlooking the iconic Copacabana beach and Sugarloaf Mountain. The local planetarium set up telescopes for astrology fans.

"These telescopes are fantastic. It's one thing to see pictures of the planets in a book and another to see it in real life," said Ana Selma Ferreira, a 46-year old lawyer who brought her children to the spectacle.