Partial lunar eclipse to grace UK skies on moon mission anniversary

A partial lunar eclipse will be visible across most parts of the country on Tuesday evening - providing the notorious fickle British weather doesn't spoil the view.

The celestial event will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, which launched in 1969, and is likely to fire the imaginations of stargazers young and old.

A partial lunar eclipse is when the Earth moves between the sun and the full moon – but are not completely aligned.

The moon will remain visible but will dim significantly as it passes into the Earth's shadow, giving off and eerie light, which is produced by sunlight passing through the upper atmosphere.

The colour of the moon can sometimes take on a red tinge, but this is an optical effect from the observer's point of view, as photons are scattered through the Earth's atmosphere changing their wavelength.

You'll be able (weather permitting) to catch a glimpse of the eclipse from moon rise at 9.07pm, until after midnight.

According to the Royal Astronomical Society, the best time to watch is around 10.30pm, when as much as 60% of the visible surface of the moon will be obscured.