NIGHT SHOW: The partial solar eclipse will take place about 7.30pm on Friday.

Much of New Zealand will see a partial solar eclipse on Friday, space agency Nasa says.

Many traditions have long held solar eclipses represent a bad omen for rulers - and Friday is just a night out from the general election.

Nasa charts show the partial eclipse will be visible over the whole of the South Island and the lower half of the North Island in a line from Napier through to New Plymouth.

New Zealand will be the only populated landmass to see the eclipse.

It will occur about 7.30 pm - just before sunset.

The maximum eclipse will be visible along the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula in the Bellingshausen Sea.

It will be the fourth solar eclipse this year; some years score five.

Many cultures associate solar eclipses with kings and as they were viewed as creatures eating the sun, little good was ever seen to come out of it.

Full details of the eclipse are here.

The MetService is predicting a mix of cloud and sunshine for the lunar event.