Rare ‘blood moon’ total lunar eclipse to loom over North America, Australia and New Zealand

Rare ‘blood moon’ total lunar eclipse to loom over North America, Australia and New Zealand Eclipse will feature a deep, coppery-red full moon on 3 March, with scientists predicting the best times to see it Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast North America, Australia and New Zealand will be treated to a rare total lunar eclipse on Tuesday known as a “blood moon”. As the full moon dips into the planet’s shadow it will change colour to a “deep and coppery red”, says astrophysicist Dr Rebecca Allen of Swinburne University. It will be the last time people will get to see this celestial phenomenon for nearly three years. What is a blood moon? A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth lines up between the moon and the sun. The sun’s light is blocked – casting a shadow on to the moon. But in some eclipses sunlight does reach the moon indirectly, daubing the moon in a sunset palette. “Any light that does pass shines through our atmosphere and transforms the lunar surface into a deep, coppery red,” Allen says. Dr Brad Tucker, an Australian National University astrophysicist, described it as a little bit of sunlight that “skims” the Earth’s atmosphere. Sign up: AU Breaking News email “Just as a sunset or sunrise can be pink or red, this light is also refracted and so lights up the moon in an orange-red colour,” he says. For the best experience, Allen suggests finding a dark location away from city lights and allowing 10 to 15 minutes for your eyes to adjust. Jupiter will also be visible high in the sky, making for what Allen calls “a great pairing”. What time is the blood moon in Australia? Allen says the best time to view the eclipse in Australia on Tuesday night are: Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Hobart – starts 10.04pm, ends 11.02pm Brisbane – starts 9.04pm, ends 10.02pm Adelaide – starts 9.34pm, ends 10.32pm Darwin – starts 8.34pm, ends 9.32pm Perth – starts 7.04pm, ends 8.02pm What time is the blo...