When to see tonight’s blood moon lunar eclipse in Australia – and it’s the last one visible until 2025

• The ‘blood moon’ event will occur on night of November 8 across the country
• The viewing times across Australia will differ based on time zones
• This will be the last lunar eclipse until September 8, 2025 astronomers say
• Blood moon will begin at 8.09pm AEDST on east coast, QLD 7.09pm (AEST)

Published: 23:40 GMT, 7 November 2022 | Updated: 03:09 GMT, 8 November 2022

A rare lunar event turning the Moon deep shades of red across Australia will occur tonight – and will be the last lunar eclipse for three years.

The eclipse will be visible right across the country on November 8, with viewing times varying depending on where you live.

The ‘blood moon’ event occurs when the Sun, Earth and Moon align, resulting in the Moon passing into the Earth’s shadow.

When the Moon is completely covered it will turn a deep red – the reason for the ‘blood moon’ description.

On the east coast, the event starts at 8.09pm, with the total eclipse expected to begin at 9.16pm, while in Queensland it begins an hour earlier.

In South Australia the event begins at 7.43pm, at 6.42pm in the Northern Territory and 6.43pm on the west coast.

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A rare lunar event turning the Moon deep shades of red across Australia will occur tonight in what will be the last lunar eclipse for three years

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The blood moon event occurs when the Sun, Earth and Moon align, resulting in the Moon passing into the Earth’s shadow. When the Moon is completely covered it will turn a deep red which is why it is known as the ‘blood moon’

Astronomer at the Melbourne Planetarium, Dr Tanya Hill, told the ABC this ‘blood moon’ will be a long lunar eclipse and the last one until 2025.

‘I love lunar eclipses because they happen at the same time for everybody, it’s just the time zone that changes things,’ Dr Hill said.

‘We should get out to see this total lunar eclipse, because we won’t see another one in Australia until September 8, 2025.’

A ‘blood moon’ eclipse occurs in three phases: penumbral, partial and total.

Penumbral phase

The penumbral phase is the start of the eclipse and can barely be seen by the naked eye.

In this phase, the Moon passes through the Earth’s outer shadow.

The second penumbral phase is after the total eclipse when the Moon moves back into the Earth’s outer shadow.

Partial phase

The partial phase occurs when the Moon crosses over the edge of the planet’s central shadow.

In this phase, the Earth’s shadow moves across the Moon’s face slowly, blocking its brightly lit centre so only a thin glowing outer strip of the Moon’s edge remains visible.

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The eclipse will be visible right across Australia on November 8, with viewing times varying depending on where in the country you live

The partial phase continues up to the point the outer strip completely disappears and the Moon is in Earth’s complete shadow, beginning the final phase.

The second partial phase begins when a bright light begins to reappear on the Moon’s edge as it starts to move out of Earth’s shadow once more.

Total phase

The total phase is when the Moon is completely in Earth’s shadow.

It is in this phase where the Moon will appear the deepest red ‘blood’ colour.

BLOOD MOON VIEWING TIMES ACROSS AUSTRALIA

ACT/NSW/VIC/TAS

Starts at 8.09pm, ends at 11.49pm. Total eclipse will last from 9.16pm – 10.41pm.

QLD

Starts at 7.09pm, ends at 10.49pm. Total eclipse will last from 8.16pm – 9.41pm.

SA

Starts at 7.43pm, ends at 11.19pm. Total eclipse will last from 8:46pm – 10.11

NT

Starts at 6.42pm, ends at 10.19pm. Total eclipse will last from 7:46pm – 9.11pm.

WA

Starts at 6.43pm, ends at 8.49pm. Total eclipse will last from 6.43pm – 7.41pm.