Tasmanians hoping to catch tonight’s total lunar eclipse could be left disappointed, with cloud cover threatening to spoil the rare celestial show.
The blood moon will be visible across Australia on Tuesday night, with totality beginning at 10:04pm in Hobart and lasting until 11:02pm.
It will be the last total lunar eclipse visible from Australia until late 2028.
However, lingering weather systems are likely to hamper viewing conditions in the south-east.
“The remnants of the low pressure system that caused flooding rain across central Australia in the past week will also bring cloudy skies to parts of southeastern Australia on Tuesday night,” Weatherzone reported.
“This will obstruct the view of the blood moon in parts of New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory.”
A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow that blocks direct sunlight.
“This alignment causes the Earth-oriented face of the moon to appear red or orange as certain wavelengths of indirect sunlight are redirected towards the Moon’s surface by Earth’s atmosphere,” Weatherzone said.
No special equipment is needed. The eclipse is safe to watch with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope.
The spectacle will unfold over about three hours, beginning with a partial phase in which the Moon appears as though a bite has been taken out of it.
“The strongest colour is seen during the total eclipse,” Weatherzone said.
Northern Australia is also set to miss out, with an active monsoon trough forecast to bring cloud cover to Darwin, Cairns and Broome.
Elsewhere, much of southern and western Australia is expected to enjoy clear skies.
Those who miss Tuesday night’s event face a long wait, with the next total lunar eclipse over Australia not due until December 2028.
A total solar eclipse is expected on July 22, 2028, when parts of Australia, including Sydney, will see day briefly turn to night.
