Skywatchers eagerly awaiting Saturday's total lunar eclipse say that the spectacle could be the "best in years".
The eclipse begins at 2018 GMT, with the Moon totally immersed in the shadow of the Earth between 2244 and 2358 GMT.
During "totality", only light that has been filtered through the Earth's atmosphere reaches the Moon's surface, making it appear a reddish colour.
The eclipse will be visible from the whole of Europe, Africa, South America, and eastern parts of the US and Canada.
"They are beautiful events," said Robert Massey, spokesman for the UK's Royal Astronomical Society.
"They have a really romantic feel to them as you look up because the Moon, which is normally pearly white, takes on this reddish colour."
He added that it was totally safe to observe and no protective filters were needed because the Moon would actually be less bright than during a normal full moon.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6411991.stm
