Incredible photos show brilliant harvest moon lunar eclipse – the last of its kind in the UK for eight years
During the eclipse the harvest moon - the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox - was darkened by the Earth's shadow
THESE captivating pictures reveal the harvest moon lunar eclipse, as the stunning phenomenon took place in the UK tonight.
The rare sight is the last of its kind for eight years and will not appear in British skies again until 2024.
During the eclipse the harvest moon – the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox – was darkened by the Earth’s shadow.
Observers in the UK, the rest of Europe and West Africa observed the eclipse as the moon rose, and those in the countryside were treated to the best views.
The harvest moon gets its name because it is the full moon closest to the equinox, which falls on September 22 this year.
It is an astronomical event where the sun crosses the celestial equator – the projection of the Earth’s equator into space.
On the date of the equinox, both day and night are around the same length across the globe. Afterwards, the night is longer than the day.
Tonight’s event, known as a penumbral eclipse, derives its name from the the outer part of the Earth’s shadow, the penumbra.