(Image: Getty Images)
Skywatchers are preparing for another celestial spectacle as a lunar eclipse will rise over the UK in the coming days.
On Friday (August 28), the lunar eclipse will be visible, just a couple of weeks after the rare solar eclipse that captivated millions.
During the maximum phase, the Moon will take on a reddish hue, commonly referred to as a "blood moon."
This effect occurs when sunlight passes through the Earth’s atmosphere, filtering and refracting the light before it reaches the lunar surface.
What time is the lunar eclipse in the UK this week?
The partial lunar eclipse will take place in the early hours of August 28.
The eclipse will begin at 3.33am and reach its peak at 5.12am, when around 90% of the Moon will be covered by the Earth’s shadow, known as the umbra.
The eclipse will be best viewed from areas with an unobstructed view of the western horizon, as the Moon will be low in the sky during the event.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow that darkens the Moon’s surface.
Solar and lunar eclipses always occur in pairs, with a lunar eclipse taking place roughly two weeks before or after a solar eclipse.
Earlier this month, UK skywatchers witnessed the most significant solar eclipse since 1999, with more than 90% of the Sun obscured by the Moon.
Unlike this, the lunar eclipse can be watched safely with your naked eyes.
Unlike with the solar eclipse earlier this month, you do not need glasses to see the lunar eclipse
(Image: Getty Images)
Crowds gathered at locations such as the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, Stonehenge in Wiltshire, Calton Hill in Edinburgh, and outside Queen’s University in Belfast to witness the event.
Observers used special eclipse glasses and homemade viewers made from cereal boxes and colanders to safely watch the spectacle.
Just hours later, the Perseid meteor shower reached its peak in the early hours of August 13.
The Perseids are caused by the Earth passing through a trail of dust left by Comet Swift–Tuttle.
Each particle enters the atmosphere at around 60 kilometres per second, burning up and creating a bright streak in the sky.
Another total solar eclipse will not be visible from the UK again until 2090.
The closest approach before then will occur on September 3, 2081, when up to 99 per cent of the Sun will be covered, with southern areas once again expected to have the best view.
When is the next solar eclipse in the UK?
Many will be watching the rare event this week, as another total solar eclipse will not be visible from the UK again until 2090.
The closest approach before then will be on September 3, 2081, when up to 99% of the Sun will be covered, with southern areas once again expected to have the best view.
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There will be other notable partial eclipses in the coming decades:
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2030 - 50% coverage
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2053 - 40% coverage
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2066 - 60% coverage
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2075 - 70% coverage
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2082 - 70% coverage
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2088 - 40% coverage
Will you be staying up late or getting up early to watch the lunar eclipse this week? Let us know in the comments.