Storms hamper view: Partial lunar eclipse visible tonight

A partial lunar eclipse is visible across the entirety of the UK and Ireland tonight... lest you be caught beneath a band of heavy rain and storms in the south.

Two weeks after the United States was treated to an annular solar eclipse, we get our own eclipse tonight as the full moon, known as the Hunter's Moon, travels through the Earth’s shadow.

During a partial eclipse, the full moon passes through the penumbra, a light area of Earth’s shadow, and only partially through the umbra, the darkest area. Sadly, the event will be masked for many beneath heavy rain and possible thunderstorms.

The eclipse will begin at around 07:00 pm this evening, at this time a thick band of heavy rain stretches from Wales, across the midlands, and into the southeast.

As the eclipse reaches its peak, around 09:15 pm, this band has shifted slightly moving deeper into East Anglia and also stretching across the Irish Sea to cover Dublin which some thunderstorms are likely.

Which means your best chance to see the eclipse as it peaks is in the west of Ireland and Northern Ireland. For many of us, we will need a stroke of luck and a break in cloud cover.

Unlike a total lunar eclipse, a partial eclipse appears when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are not quite totally aligned.

When covered by the penumbra, our lunar companion will appear to take a red hue due to sunlight being scattered as it passes through our planet’s atmosphere.

You don’t need any special equipment, though a telescope will offer a better view. If you manage to dodge the clouds and capture the event, be sure to show it off and submit through our uploader!