Astronomers, stargazers, and anyone taking an evening walk marvelled at the moon as it turned shades of orange and yellow on Thursday night a day before the rare blood moon.
The main event will include both the longest total eclipse of the moon for a century but also put Mars the closest it will be to Earth for the next 270 years, a double treat for anyone looking at the sky.
Nights before, the effect has already begun with the moon not yet eclipsed by the Earth, but enough to colour it very noticeably.
Social media is already flooded with excited Europeans exclaiming at the wondrous sight as the glow get brighter and redder ever night, as only red and yellow light can pass through the Earth’s atmosphere.
Candid snaps over London on Thursday night showed the moon in shades of yellow, deepening into orange, by stargazers already enjoying the extremely rare event.
After Friday’s climax it will continue to glow for several days through the weekend as partial eclipses continue to colour the moon as it passes partially into the Earth’s shadow.
The moon will be fully covered by 8.29pm and last until about 10.15pm, with its appearance varying across Britain, Europe and much of the Eastern Hemisphere.
It will be visible in London at 8.50pm and range from to 9.02pm in Cardiff, 9.22pm in Edinburgh and 9.27pm in Belfast — but will already have a blood-red hue.
The main event will include both the longest total eclipse of the moon for a century but also put Mars the closest it will be to Earth for the next 270 years, a double treat for anyone looking at the sky
Astronomers, stargazers, and anyone taking an evening walk marvelled at the moon as it turned shades of orange and yellow on Thursday night a day before the once-in-a-lifetime blood moon
The moon begins to turn a little yellow in this photo taken on Wednesday night over west London
The moon rises over the Abbey church in Ebersmunster, eastern France, as the sun sets on Thursday
Social media is already flooded with excited Europeans exclaiming at the wondrous sight (pictured in Whitley Bay, near Newcastle), as the glow get brighter and redder ever night, as only red and yellow light can pass through the Earth’s atmosphere
Candid snaps over London on Thursday night showed the moon in shades of yellow, deepening into orange, by stargazers already enjoying the extremely rare event
After Friday’s climax it will continue to glow for several days through the weekend as partial eclipses continue to colour the moon as it passes partially into the Earth’s shadow
This photo demonstrates the phases of a blood moon lunar eclipse in Virginia, USA, in 2010