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Lunar eclipse, Dec 21, from Avoca Valley Christchurch - Source: Bernhard Scholz -
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New Zealanders will be treated to a rare full lunar eclipse in their skies next month.
Stardome Astronomy Educator David Britten said that just after 12:30am on December 11, people will be able to see the eclipse from all around the country, where the skies are clear.
The period of total eclipse lasts for less than an hour, from just after 3am to just before 4am.
In a lunar eclipse the Moon is obscured as it passes through the Earth's shadow.
There are actually two shadows, called the umbra and the penumbra. The umbra is a smaller circle of dark shadow caused by the Earth blocking all the light from the Sun to the Moon.
Only a partial eclipse can be seen when the Moon is in the penumbra.
Britten said eclipsed Moon is likely to appear copper coloured.
"This is caused by a scattering of sunlight as it passes through the thin ring of the Earth's atmosphere, removing the blue light and passing mainly the red, some of which weakly illuminates the Moon."
You will need a clear eastern horizon to be able to see this eclipse. Over water would be ideal, and the further north you are located the better."
Britten said throughout time it is been believed the moon's red colour signified several different things, including doom and blood.
But he said it is simply the moon playing tricks on people with light.
The last lunar eclipse able observed in New Zealand was a total lunar eclipse in June but was cut short by the setting moon.
There will be no total lunar eclipses in 2012 but there will be a solar eclipse on November 14 and the transit of Venus across the face of the Sun on 6 June.
Despite the December 11 eclipse being visible to the naked eye, observatories around the country will be hosting events for the public to enjoy the phenomenon.
For more on the eclipse visit here
Total eclipse timetable:
12:33am - First contact with penumbra (part shadow begins to
creep across the Moon)
1:46am - First contact with umbra (full shadow begins to cross the
Moon)
3:06am - Total eclipse starts (Moon in full dark shadow)
3:32am - Mid-Eclipse
3:57am - Total eclipse ends (lighter penumbral shadow only is
across the Moon)
5:18am - Final contact with umbra (full light begins to cross the
Moon again)
5:30am - Moon sets in NZ at this time
