The first total lunar eclipse visible in New Zealand since the year 2000 will occur on Tuesday, 28 August.  Beginning just before 9pm, it will proceed through totality between 9:52pm and 11:22pm, and end just before 1:30am on Wednesday, 29 August.

The clear skies and lack of light pollution in the Pelorus Sound make Tira Ora Lodge an ideal viewing location.

From Ken Ring's 2007 Weather Almanac (read more), we expect a southerly flow to cover New Zealand on the 27th and weaken slowly, with an anticyclone moving onto the country by the 30th.

This should bring clear, frosty and calm weather to our area.

To read more about this eclipse, see the website of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand (click here) and NASA's eclipse site (click here).

To read more about lunar eclipses generally, and links to some awesome photos, see the website of "Mr Eclipse" (Fred Espenak) (click here).