A blood moon is set to grace the skies above Canberra on Tuesday, the last of its kind for several years.
The full moon will begin glowing red just after 8pm, making a complete transition to a blood moon from 9.16pm.
The total lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, Earth and moon align so that the moon passes into the Earth's shadow.
Tuesday is set to be the last chance to see it until 2025.
Brad Tucker, an astrophysicist from the Australian National University, said the Earth's shadow is what causes the moon's surface to turn red.
"While the Earth casts a shadow into space, a little bit of sunlight skims through the Earth's atmosphere and into space," he said.
"Just as sunrise and sunset are an orange or reddish colour, so is this light that skims through the Earth's atmosphere and out into space.
"When you look at the moon during the total lunar eclipse, you are seeing the sunrise and sunset of the Earth lighting up the moon."
Special equipment isn't required to view the blood moon, although a telescope or binoculars will enhance the viewing experience.
The best place to view the blood moon is away from light pollution, so a night walk in the bush is recommended on Tuesday, weather allowing.
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned of a possible thunderstorm, forecasting light winds and a medium chance of showers.
According to NASA, the more dust or clouds in the Earth's atmosphere during the lunar eclipse the redder the moon appears.
Dr Tucker said that's because the moon's orbit is not always in perfect alignment with the sun and the Earth.
"The moon wobbles by about five degrees as it orbits around the Earth," he said.
"For the moon to move perfectly into Earth's shadow, it needs to be aligned with the Earth. Sometimes it just skims the shadow and we get a partial lunar eclipse."
Residents of New Zealand, the Americas and parts of Asia will also have the chance to see a blood moon next week.
Blood moon viewing times:
ACT, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania:
Starts at 8.09pm and ends at 11.49pm. Total eclipse will last from 9.16pm to 10.41pm
Queensland:
Starts at 7.09pm and ends at 10.49pm. Total eclipse will last from 8.16pm to 9.41pm.
South Australia:
Starts at 7.43pm and ends at 11.19pm. Total eclipse will last from 8.46pm to 10.11pm.
Northern Territory:
Starts at 6.42pm and ends at 10.19pm. Total eclipse will last from 7.46pm to 9.11pm.
Western Australia:
Starts at 6.43pm and ends at 8.49pm. Total eclipse will last from 6.43pm to 7.41pm.
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
