Supermoon, Blood Moon, lunar eclipse 2015: How to watch events live

Getting up at 3am will give people in the UK the best view — though you don't have to stay up to see some of the night's events

(REUTERS/Yves Herman)

The moon is set to have one of its most stunning nights in decades tonight. But it hasn't picked the best time.

The Supermoon and lunar eclipse are set to coincide for the first time in 30 years this evening, in an event that won't be visible for another 30.

The U.K. has the misfortune of having the eclipse at the least sociable hours. But by setting your alarm right, and getting out at the best time, you'll be able to get out and see it without losing too much sleep.

The lunar eclipse begins at 1.10am and ends at 6.24am. But it won't go total until 3.11am, and that will last until 4.24am.

It's between those times that the blood moon will be at its reddest, since the Earth getting fully in the way scatters the light as it goes from the sun to the moon. Setting your alarm for about 3 in the morning will give you plenty of time to get into place and the most time to look up — though of course you might want to head straight back to bed.

Watch the video below for Nasa's explanation of why the spectacle happens: