How to watch tonight's worm moon eclipse

Astronomy fans will be able to see this year's first lunar eclipse – but you will have to look closely or you could miss it.

The full moon of March 2024, the Worm Moon, will rise during a penumbral lunar eclipse.

March's full moon is referred to as the "worm moon" due to its proximity to the spring equinox, signalling the emergence of earthworms as temperatures warm in the northern hemisphere.

On Monday, the full moon will coincide with what's known as a penumbral lunar eclipse.

A penumbral lunar eclipse is the most subtle kind of lunar eclipse, so it can be hard for people to spot a difference. However, some viewers may notice the moon is slightly darker than usual or see a dark shading on its face.

During the eclipse, the moon will move through the outer part of Earth's shadow, known as the penumbra.

In New Zealand, it begins at 7:34pm and ends at 10:32pm Monday. It will reach its peak illumination at 8:12pm.

The March 25 eclipse can be seen in North and South America, Europe, East Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

The penumbral lunar eclipse kicks off this year's first eclipse season.

In 2024, there will be two eclipse seasons each featuring two solar eclipses and two lunar eclipses.

Monday's eclipse will be followed by a total solar eclipse on April 8 which will only be seen in parts of Mexico, US and Canada.

Newshub.