Don't miss at 20:37PM Sydney time.... the best time to watch...
ATM the moon is almost gone
At 8.37pm the sun, earth and moon will align
First stages of eclipse start at 5:53pm
Find out what to expect at tonight's lunar eclipse
A COSMIC ballet will bathe much of Australia's east coast in an ethereal red glow as the night sky becomes lit up by crimson moonshine.
But forget high-powered telescopes. A dark spot and roof tops will give some of the best views of tonight's Blood Moon eclipse.
At exactly 8.37pm (AEST) the Sun, Earth and Moon will be in total alignment, scattering light as it passes through the Earth's atmosphere and bounces off the moon in hues of bronze and red.
Tens of thousands of amateur astronomers are expected to turn outacross the city to catch a glimpse of the phenomenon.
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NSW Astronomical Society astronomer Adrian Saw said that while a telescope or pair of binoculars would enhance the experience, it was not as important as finding a darkened location away from the city's lights.
"It's easily observable but the darker place you can find the better," Mr Saw said. "There will be better views near the heads around Sydney Harbour or the Blue Mountains - anywhere away from street lamps."
The first stages of the eclipse will begin at 5.53pm but as the moon passes further into Earth's shadow at 6.51pm, it will gradually dim to an unusual golden colour.
When the total eclipse begins at 7.52pm it will become a bronze and reddish hue before turning blood red at its peak at 8.37pm.
"People will see things on the moon they've never seen before," Mr Saw, said.
The lunar kaleidoscope will reverse as the moon leaves Earth's shadow and becomes its bright white self again after 10.30pm.
It will be the first total lunar eclipse to be seen from start to finish in the city's skies since July 2000.
While they are not uncommon, it is rare to see one in its entirety, with the next blood moon not visible until 11.45pm on December 10, 2011.
Sydney, along with New Zealand, is in the perfect zone to view the eclipse - with people in Melbourne and Brisbane having to travel further north or south to find better views.
