Cast your eyes to the skies tonight for the ‘super blood wolf moon’

A rare total lunar eclipse – dubbed dramatically as a ‘super blood wolf moon’ – may be glimpsed in the skies tonight.
Ardingly Colleges  new solar-powered observatory captured the last lunar eclipse in 2015Ardingly Colleges  new solar-powered observatory captured the last lunar eclipse in 2015
Ardingly Colleges new solar-powered observatory captured the last lunar eclipse in 2015

The moon will turn a striking blood-red between the hours of 02.35am and 07.49am GMT in the northern hemisphere in the early hours of Monday (January 21).

The mesmerising phenomenon has been given its name as it is unusually close to the Earth – ‘super’ – will be blood red – ‘blood’– and will be a full moon – hence, ‘wolf’.

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No special equipment will be needed to gaze at it, although avid sky-gazers may wish to use binoculars or a telescope for a closer look.

Julia Brookes took a series of photographs of a supermoon from her back gardenJulia Brookes took a series of photographs of a supermoon from her back garden
Julia Brookes took a series of photographs of a supermoon from her back garden

It should be perfectly visible, unless there are unfavourable cloudy weather conditions.

The moon is believed to be appearing its most red in the UK at 5.12am.

According to scientists, this will be our last chance to see a total eclipse of the moon until 2029.

What is a total lunar eclipse?

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A total lunar eclipse is when the Earth moves between the moon and the sun – blocking direct sunlight from hitting our natural satellite.

As our planet’s shadow passes the moon, it turns a spooky red colour.