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<\/p>\nA special natural phenomenon is taking place in the skies above New Zealand tonight \u2014 but you’ll have to be quick to catch a glimpse.<\/p>\n
A lunar occultation occurs when the Moon passes directly in front of a distant star or planet and temporarily hides it from view. <\/p>\n
It’s a similar cosmic event to a lunar conjunction, when the Moon appeared very close to a planet, star, or the Sun in the night sky from Earth’s perspective. <\/p>\n
“Conjunctions are fairly common, but an occultation is when one object will directly pass in front of another, so it’ll actually block out light from a star or a planet,” Stardome astronomer Josh Aoraki told 1News. <\/p>\n
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To see it, you\u2019ll need a clear, unobstructed view of the horizon, as the Moon will be low in the sky. <\/p>\n
He explained that tonight the Moon would pass in front of the bright star Rehua\/Antares, just after it rises in the east around 11.15pm. <\/p>\n
Lunar occultations such as this were described as “special”, as they allowed a glimpse of the Moon’s motion against the backdrop of stars in real time.<\/p>\n
1News would love to see your photos. You can email them to news@tvnz.co.nz<\/p>\n
“I wouldn’t say that lunar occultations are rare, but the rarity about it is really that the whole thing happens in about an hour, and it’s really only visible for a few thousand kilometres across the Earth. <\/p>\n
![\"Stardome](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/stardome-astronomer-josh-aoraki-AUOQ55I7WJGPFDTUN5SRMK667I.jpg\")
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Stardome astronomer Josh Aoraki. (Source: Seven Sharp)<\/p>\n
“For example, by the time the moon rises in Australia, it’ll already have been over,” he said. <\/p>\n
Aoraki said the occultation could be seen from “kind of everywhere”, as long as there was a “clear, unobstructed view of the eastern horizon”. <\/p>\n
“It really just depends on the weather. Because for most of the country the moon rising varies slightly. But in general, it’s when the moon rises tonight – about 11.20pm – is when it starts.” <\/p>\n
He said the full lunar occultation would only be visible for about 55 minutes. <\/p>\n