Check out photos of rare supermoon-blood moon

Astronomers say a rare combination supermoon-lunar eclipse should make for spectacular viewing Sunday evening. Check out the updated images above.

A supermoon appears about 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than a typical full moon, and the eclipse will give the moon an orange, ruddy glow known as a "blood moon." The last time these lunar events converged was 1982; the combination won't happen again until 2033, according to NASA.

You should be able to see the moon rise in the Earth's shadow at 6:07 p.m. Arizona time, looking at first as if someone took a small bite out of the celestial body. The moon will be totally covered at 7:11 p.m. with the total eclipse lasting until 8:23 p.m.

"The timing is perfect. You don't have to stay up late," said Adam Block, who manages the University of Arizona's Mount Lemmon SkyCenter.

Block will be broadcasting high-resolution images of the eclipse, taken every few seconds, from the Mount Lemmon SkyCenter north of Tucson. You can view the Web broadcast to see what the eclipse looks like from an altitude of 9,157 feet.

The eclipse can be seen with the naked eye. Use binoculars if you want to see the moon in greater detail.

More viewing tips:

Get away from city lights, if you can. Full eclipse dims the moon dramatically so you'll also have an easier time spotting stars.

Use a camera with a zoom lens and a tripod to get the best photos.

If you feel like multitasking, watch the eclipse from your yard while also viewing the eclipse Web broadcast from the Mount Lemmon SkyCenter on your iPhone or iPad.

Want to watch with a group? The Phoenix Astronomical Society will host a free viewing party from 6:15 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday at Coyote Basin Park, 2730 E. Beardsley Road in Phoenix. The park is east of Cave Creek Road behind the Costco. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket.

In Tucson, the Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium will host a lunar-eclipse night from 5 to 10 p.m.with hourly lunar eclipse presentations. Admission is $5. The center is at 1601 E. University Blvd. on the UA's Tucson campus.

NASA will broadcast a live webcast of the lunar eclipse.

Sunday's eclipse marks the fourth total lunar eclipse in the past two years. The last was April 4. It's rare to have this many visible total lunar eclipses at six-month intervals. The next so-called "eclipse tetrad" won't happen until 2032-33.

Total eclipses happen when Earth passes between the sun and the moon, and the entire moon is in Earth's shadow. Conditions have to be just right. The sun, Earth and moon have to be in a straight line, and the moon must be full.

Reach the reporter at 602-444-8072 or anne.ryman@arizonarepublic.com.

Photos: Past supermoon images from Arizona