THERE will be a partial eclipse of the moon tonight - making it seem, for a while, as if someone has taken a big bite out of Earth's nearest neighbour.

Sadly, with the weather expected to be overcast in York tonight, it's not clear how much of it we'll be able to see from here.

Press reader and amateur astronomer Phil Shepherdson said the eclipse is expected to start at about 8.11pm and will last until 8.49pm.

It will be a partial eclipse only, Phil stressed - so at no point will the moon be completely obscured.

"It will look like a crescent moon," he said. "As though someone has taken a bite out of the moon."

Lunar eclipses happen when the sun is behind the Earth relative to the moon - so that the Earth's shadow is cast across the moon.

Lunar eclipses only happen when the moon is full, Phil says - so it can make for great watching as the shadow spreads across the moon's surface.

Lunar eclipses are not that rare - the last one was in November 2021 - but they still make for a spectacle.

If you can see them.

Unfortunately, the Met Office weather forecast suggests that most of York will be overcast this evening.

Gazette & Herald: The Met Office is forecasting mostly overcast skies in York this evening at the time of the lunar eclipseThe Met Office is forecasting mostly overcast skies in York this evening at the time of the lunar eclipse (Image: Met Office)

There might just be a glimpse of clear skies between the clouds from 6-7pm, with the cloud growing thicker by 7pm and light rain possible from 9pm.

If you are able to see the eclipse, Phil says you may notice the full moon turning darker and slightly reddish just before a bite appears to be taken out of the side.