With
clear skies, the celestial spectacle will be visible across the UK,
with the exception of northern Scotland, as soon as the moon rises after
sunset.
Moonrise time varies with location, but for observers in
London, the show will begin at 9.13pm. Further north, in Glasgow,
moonrise begins at 9.58pm.
A total lunar eclipse happens when the
moon, Earth and sun line up, and our home planet casts a vast shadow
that engulfs the moon.
When the moon moves into the darkest part of the Earth's shadow, the umbra, it will turn a slate grey or brick red colour.
The
moon changes colour because blue light - and other short wavelengths -
scatter more in the Earth's atmosphere, with more red light getting
through.
The Royal Astronomical Society said the eclipse, if
visible, could be a spectacular opportunity for photographers. The moon
will remain low in the night sky, so observers will need a clear horizon
and cloudless skies to see it well. Unlike solar eclipses, a lunar
eclipse is safe to watch with the naked eye.
The event will be
visible in Australasia, southern Japan, a large area of Asia, India,
Africa, Europe and the eastern part of South America.
The total
eclipse ends at 22.03pm, when the Moon starts to leave the darkest part
of the umbra. At this time, the moon will be only five degrees above the
south-eastern horizon from London, whilst in Glasgow the whole of the
lunar disk will not yet have appeared and from northern Scotland it will
not be visible at all.
In the final stage of the eclipse, the
moon moves into the lighter part of Earth's shadow, the penumbra, and
will likely take on a yellowish hue. The eclipse will be over just after
midnight, at 00.02am Thursday morning.