luncar eclipse blood moon uk today

Skygazers in the UK were treated to a dramatic super blood moon in the early hours of Monday.

In this year's only full lunar eclipse, the moon turned a deep coppery red as it drifted into the shadow of the Earth.

The colour stems from Earth's atmosphere bending light from the sun and bathing the moon in a red hue.

The moon started to enter the Earth's shadow just after 2.30am, and started to darken considerably about an hour later, appearing as if it is becoming a waning crescent.

The best viewing time was between 4.29am and 5.06am, when the moon was completely eclipsed, according to the Royal Museums Greenwich website.

Photographers took pictures that show details of the lunar surface.

The eclipse coincided with a super moon, when the satellite is at its closest to the Earth during its orbit, making it appear larger and brighter than usual.

The last Blood Moon, in January 2019, was obscured by cloud in many parts of the UK but this year astronomers were treated to clear skies.