For the first time in almost 40 years, New Zealanders are going to be treated to a spectacular sight — a rare blood supermoon. Here’s where will be best to see it.

People are in for a spectacular sight on Wednesday, with a blood supermoon set to light up the night sky.
It’s thought this will be the first time in nearly 40 years since New Zealanders saw the astronomical phenomenon of a blood supermoon where a total lunar eclipse happens at the same time as a supermoon.
According to Nasa, this is the years most super moon.
A blood supermoon is a combination of three factors: a full moon, the Moon being at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, and a total lunar eclipse.
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A pink supermoon seen in New Brighton, Christcurch in April this year.
The last time one was visible from Aotearoa was in 1982.
A lot of eyes will be on the skies around the globe, however, Nelson-based space scientist Dr Duncan Steel said New Zealand would likely be the best location for watching this eclipse.
Stardome Observatory and Planetarium astronomy educator John Rowe said the phenomenon was eagerly anticipated by Kiwi space enthusiasts.
Although blood supermoons occur every few years, they arent always visible in Aotearoa. Weve waited almost 40 years for this, so its exciting, Rowe said.
All Kiwis need to do is look high into the night sky on Wednesday evening and theyll be treated to a stunning sight.
Stargazers went outdoors to watch a pink supermoon rise in New Brighton, Christchurch, in April.
When and where to watch it
The lunar eclipse will last for about five hours in total, beginning shortly before 9pm on Wednesday May 26 and finishing in the early hours of the morning.
But the key period of totality when the Moon is entirely hidden in Earth’s shadow will take place between about 11.11pm and 11.25pm. The Moon will also appear rusty red in colour and slight larger than usual.
University of Auckland senior lecturer of physics Dr Nicholas Rattenbury said the Moon will appear to have a slightly dullish red, or possibly salmon-coloured look to it during its period of totality.
This fun effect is related to how sunlight bends and scatters as it passes through Earths atmosphere. In the air, blue and violet colours scatter more widely which is why the sky appears blue, Rattenbury said. Meanwhile, red light travels a straighter path through the air.
During a total lunar eclipse, the Earth blocks the Suns direct light so only heavily filtered reddish light bends through the atmosphere and reaches the Moon.
A super blue blood moon seen in February, 2018 in Somerset, England.
According to Nasa, the more dust or clouds in Earths atmosphere during the eclipse, the redder the Moon will appear.
The best places to view the blood supermoon will likely be: Southland, Otago, the West Coast, Canterbury, Tasman, Nelson, Marlborough, Wellington, Manawat-Whanganui, Taranaki, Waikato and Auckland, Niwa said on Tuesday.
Niwa meteorologist Ben Noll said there was some scattered cloud forecast for Fiordland, Northland, and the Bay of Plenty, but stargazers shouldnt be discouraged because there may be enough breaks in the cloud to spot the moon.
Hawkes Bay and Gisborne, however, likely won’t have as much luck at seeing the moon due to thicker cloud cover.
Rattenbury said he thought it was cool that people were interested in the Moon, and other space events.
I think its just really neat that when these events occur that people get excited, and they want to go and take a look.