Sign up to our newsletter for the latest Northumberland news Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

You know when you’re waiting for a bus and three astronomical happenings align themselves to occur on the same night?

No, me neither, but that’s what going on in February.

Stargazers will be figuratively getting their moon-shaped flags out as they ponder the chance to see a lunar eclipse, snow moon and the New Year comet. ON THE SAME NIGHT, PEOPLE.

This all sounds smashing of course, but it does has a whiff of putting all your stars in one basket, about it.

Put simply, if the skies are cloudy where you are on the evening of February 11, you’ll miss the lot. But let’s look on the positive side and do whatever the rain dance equivalent for clear skies is.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

And while we’re dancing, if - like me - you’re unsure what any of the above look like, but are nevertheless excited at the prospect of what’s happening above us on this particular night, here’s a quick rundown of what you can expect to see. As long as the clouds keep their distance.

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

More subtle than a total eclipse - and with less of a ring to it, if you’re Bonnie Tyler - it’s likely you’ll have to squint hard to get a proper look at this.

Boiled down, a penumbral eclipse is when the moon passes through the outermost shadow of the Earth - the penumbra - meaning we will only see a darker shadow move across the moon’s surface, but it won’t be pitch black.

In the UK, we should see the eclipse from around 10.34pm on the evening of February 10, but it will be at its maximum around 12.43am in the early hours of February 11, ending around 2.53am.

Because the moon will be above the horizon at this time, you should be able to watch the whole eclipse from start to finish. Reminder to wrap up warm #1.

Snow Moon

On the same evening, the Snow Moon - also known as the Hunger Moon - will also be present and correct. It will become full at 12.32am in the early hours of February 11.

Although it looks the same as a regular moon, the February full moon was known by early native American tribes as the Snow Moon because the heaviest snows usually fell during this time of the year.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

As hunting was difficult, this moon was also known by some tribes as the Hunger Moon, or even the Bone Moon because people had so little food that they were forced to gnaw on bones and make meals of bone marrow soup.

So, I’m gauging from this that the Snow Moon is simply a full moon. In February. Slightly less excited about this one now, if I’m honest. But let’s plough on.

New Year Comet

The New Year comet - or to give it its Sunday name, 45P/Honda–Mrkos–Pajdušáková (its is named after the astronomers who discovered it back in 1948, although it’s not clear who was called 45P).

Regardless, the comet’s path will be closest to Earth on February 11 and it will be visible from 1am. Like other comets, this one is mass of rock, dust, water and ice.

It’s been dubbed the New Year Comet because it appeared right next to the moon on New Year’s Eve 2016, giving off a blue-green colour with its tail trailing behind it.