Australians will be able to catch one of the celestial events of the year with tonight’s penumbral lunar eclipse
“But if you’re sitting there watching it, you might notice some slight variations in brightness.”
However, the penumbral eclipse will only be visible to those who are on the night side of Earth when the event occurs, including Europe, North and East Asia, Australia, Africa, North America and South America.
It will peak at 7.03pm tonight in Sydney and at 7.29pm in Melbourne.
Check the Time And Date website for the best viewing times for your local capital city.
While a penumbral eclipse is not as dramatic as a total lunar eclipse with the moon appearing an eerie red, there is no special equipment required to view a lunar eclipse such as the viewing glasses needed for a solar eclipse, Schmoll said, allowing for lunar eclipses to be viewed with the naked eye.
“You pretty much just need to be outside with a clear view of the moon when it’s happening,” Schmoll added.
“(Eclipses are) always a good excuse to go outside and try to look at the sky and appreciate where we are in the universe, and what we are able to observe from our planet.”
It will be the only eclipse visible in Australia until March next year.
9news
