Image: NIWACantabrians are set to get a good look at the rare super blood moon on Wednesday night with NIWA forecasters predicting clear skies over the region for the total lunar eclipse. The super blood moon, which will reach totality between 11.11pm and 11.25pm tomorrow, is a rare combination of three factors - a full moon, the moon being at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, and the total lunar eclipse, Niwa said. The "supermoon" will coincide with the total lunar eclipse for the first time since 1982. The best places in New Zealand to view the super blood moon based on NIWA’s forecast models as of Tuesday morning are Canterbury, Southland, Otago, West Coast, Tasman, Nelson, Marlborough, Wellington, Manawatu-Whanganui, Taranaki, Waikato and Auckland. The last time a super blood moon occurred in New Zealand was in December 1982.

Source: Otago Daily Times May 24, 2021 23:37 UTC