A PARTIAL ECLIPSE of the moon will be visible tomorrow morning as the sun rises and the moon sets.

About two thirds of the moon will disappear into the Earth’s shadow.

Astronomy Ireland has advised that it will happen as dawn breaks, and people should look West.

It says the first so-called “bite” will be taken out of the moon around 45 minutes before sunrise, at 07.18am

This is the first lunar eclipse to be visible in Ireland since July 2019, and the next one won’t come around until May 2022.

Unlike a solar eclipse, when we’re watching the sun get obscured by the moon, the lunar eclipse is totally safe to look at with your eyes.

Sam Boal / Rollingnews.ie A rare Total lunar eclipse with a supermoon took place in the early hours of September 28, 2015. Sam Boal / Rollingnews.ie / Rollingnews.ie

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Total vs. Partial

A lunar eclipse happens when the Sun, Earth and the Moon are aligned with the Earth in the middle.

When they are aligned exactly, the Moon is entirely within the Earth’s shadow.

This results in total darkening of the Moon’s surface and is called a total lunar eclipse.

When the Moon is only partially within the Earth’s shadow part of its surface appears darker, hence a partial lunar eclipse.