During these past few months of iso, stargazers have been treated to a number of celestial spectaculars, from meteor showers to 'super moons'. The latest light show to grace the skies over Melbourne is a double whammy: a 'strawberry' full moon and a partial (penumbral) lunar eclipse, both of which will be visible early on Saturday, June 6.
However, you'll have to be either a night owl or a seriously early riser to catch the eclipse. The full moon – the last before the Southern Hemisphere's winter solstice on June 21 – will begin darkening with the Earth's shadow at 3.45am, reaching its peak, with almost two-thirds of the moon's face eclipsed, at 5.24am. In fact, the event begins so late (or early) that Australia's view of it will be chased away by the sunrise before it's finished.
The weather forecast predicts a mixture of clear and cloudy skies on the night in question, so those who do manage to stay awake might get lucky. Rug up, though – it's set to be a cold one, reaching a chilly low of just 7 degrees.