Rare Blood Moon total lunar eclipse will be visible for millions of Britons TONIGHT
By SHIVALI BEST,
If you're a fan of skygazing, make sure you have this evening marked off in your diary.
A rare Blood Moon total lunar eclipse will appear in the skies over the UK – and you don't want to miss it.
During a total lunar eclipse, Earth lines up between the moon and the sun, hiding the moon from sunlight.
As a result, the moon will turn a deep, dark red – hence the 'blood moon' title.
Here in the UK, the lunar eclipse will reach its peak at 19:33 BST.
However, you don't have long to catch it, with the rare alignment ending less than three hours later, at 21:55 BST.
Best of all, you don't need any fancy equipment to get involved, with the lunar eclipse set to be visible with the naked eye.
'You don't need a telescope to take a good photograph of the moon, but if you want to see details on the lunar surface, you'll want to use the longest lens that you have,' advised astronomer Tom Kerss.
If you're a fan of skygazing, make sure you have this evening marked off in your diary. A rare Blood Moon total lunar eclipse will appear in the skies over the UK – and you don't want to miss it
During a total lunar eclipse, Earth lines up between the moon and the sun, hiding the moon from sunlight. As a result, the moon will turn a deep, dark red – hence the 'blood moon' title
A lunar eclipse takes place when the Earth lies directly between the sun and the moon, and the moon is in the shadow of Earth.
For a total lunar eclipse to happen, all three bodies must lie in a straight line.
'When this happens, the only light that reaches the Moon's surface is from the edges of the Earth's atmosphere,' Royal Museums Greenwich explained.
'The air molecules from Earth's atmosphere scatter out most of the blue light.
'The remaining light reflects onto the Moon's surface with a red glow, making the Moon appear red in the night sky.'
For this lunar eclipse, the moon will rise above the horizon just in time for us to see the event from the UK.
The eclipse's actual maximum is scheduled at 19:11 BST.
However, at this point, the moon will still be below the horizon.
For this lunar eclipse, the moon will rise above the horizon just in time for us to see the event from the UK
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Instead, experts advise having an eye to the skies for 19:33 BST.
'The Moon will then gradually move out of Earth's umbra and penumbra until 9.55pm,' Royal Museums Greenwich added.
As the moon will be low on the horizon, it might be quite difficult to see.
So, to boost your chances of a good view, try to find a high point with a clear view to the East to see the most of this eclipse.
If you miss tonight's event, you will have a while to wait until the next one.
The next lunar eclipse in the UK will take place on 28 August 2026 – so mark your calendars now!
WHAT IS A LUNAR ECLIPSE?
An eclipse occurs any time a planet or moon passes between another planet, moon or the sun.
Depending on their orbits, they can be total or partial.
A lunar eclipse is a specific event which happens when Earth lines up directly between the sun and the moon.
When this happens, Earth blocks the light from the sun to the moon. Earth's shadow then falls on the moon.
During a lunar eclipse, we can see Earth’s shadow on the moon.
They can last for several hours, but it is rare for a period of total eclipse to last longer than 100 minutes.
At least two lunar eclipses happen every year.
The moon will also be slightly closer to the Earth, causing it to appear brighter than usual, dubbed a Super Moon. These unique factors, when combined, result in a 'Super Blood Wolf Moon'. This graphic shows how a lunar eclipse occurs
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