There has been a lot of hype surrounding the April lunar eclipse as the moon is set to turn blood red this Easter weekend . But in the lead up to the rare event tomorrow , the Sydney Observatory has been expressing their concerns over the bad weather forecast for the big night . So much so , they 're plans to regularly update keen spectators with phase process images have been thwarted due to cloudy conditions . And according to the Bureau of Meteorology , it wo n't be getting any better . A blood red moon lights up the sky during a total lunar eclipse at on October 8 , 2014 in Australia . The next two eclipses are forecast to happen are on April 4 and September 28 , 2015 . But in the lead up to the rare event on Easter Saturday , the Sydney Observatory has been expressing their concerns over the bad weather forecast for the big night . The lunar eclipse this month will appear in Sydney 's north-eastern sky however Sydney Observatory astronomer Andrew Smith told the ABC this could be one of the shortest eclipses . 'Some sources indicate it will be around 10 minutes of totality , which will make it the shortest since 1917 , but other sources say it will be less than five minutes which makes it the shortest since 1592 , ' he said . A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes in the shadow of Earth . This is an area known as the umbra , where light from the sun is blocked by our planet . The light refracts differently in the atmosphere and , as it hits the moon , it appears red . The eclipse is the third in a series of four blood moons , with the final one expected on September 28 . Saturday ’ s total lunar eclipse will turn the moon a burnt reddish orange . In this image the last blood moon is situated high above Sydney . This month 's event is now booked out at the Sydney Observatory however more tickets may be released on Saturday morning if weather conditions improve . A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes in the shadow of Earth . This is an area known as the umbra , where light from the Sun is blocked by our planet . The light refracts differently in the atmosphere and , as it hits the moon , it makes it appear red . This gives rise to its ‘ blood red ’ appearance during a total eclipse , when the entire moon is in shadow . If it skirts the shadow , known as a partial or penumbral eclipse , the effect is less dramatic . However the forecast for Easter Saturday is n't looking very promising across Australia , according to the Bureau of Meteorology . Simon Allen , BOM 's senior meteorologist , told the ABC that Adelaide will be have the clearest skies out of all the states - where the partial eclipse is set to begin at 8.45pm . Perth and Darwin may be lucky depending on the location of cloud bands . The partial eclipse is set to start at 6.15pm and 7.45pm respectively . Cairns , Hobart and Melbourne will most likely see patchy cloud conditions while Mr Allen says 'Sydney and Brisbane are the least likely to see it [ the eclipse ] ' . The partial eclipse is set to start at about 8.15pm in Cairns . Sydney , Canberra , Hobart and Melbourne can expect theirs at 9.15pm .
The April lunar eclipse is set to turn the moon into blood red this Easter weekend . the Sydney Observatory has been concerned over the bad weather forecast for the big night . Adelaide will be have the clearest skies out of all the states , according to the Bureau of Meteorology . A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes in the shadow of Earth .