Clouds will likely obscure lunar eclipse

The chances are small that the total lunar eclipse will be seen early Monday morning. Many places in the country are very cloudy, according to Weeronline.

There will especially be clouds in the south and in the Randstad. Some rain and thunderstorms can also spoil a clear view in the south of the country.

Those who still want to try catching a glimpse should look in a southwesterly direction from 4:28 a.m., at an altitude of 8 degrees above the horizon and ensure that there is an unobstructed view. The best places to see the spectacle are most likely in Gelderland, Overijssel and Drenthe. There is little city light and the greatest chance of the clouds clearing up in these areas.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, Earth and moon are aligned. Since the full moon is completely in Earth's shadow during a total eclipse, no direct sunlight falls on the moon and it becomes much darker than normal. Monday morning's eclipse begins at 4:28 a.m. and ends at 7:56 a.m., with the moon completely eclipsed between 5:29 a.m. and 6:55 a.m.

In the Netherlands, a large part of the eclipse is not visible at all. That's because the sun rises here around 5:45 a.m. and the moon sets at the same time.