This evening, the moon will turn from white to red in the longest lunar eclipse of the century - and for many of us, our lifetime.

The rare "blood moon" will cast a deep, coppery-red hue over Kent, rising at about 8.50pm in the South East.

We spoke to chairman of the Mid-Kent Astronomical Society, Ian Hargraves, about where to watch the extraordinary celestial event.

Ian recommends looking southeast, and finding a place with a clear horizon - such as one of Kent's beaches.

He says in areas with tall trees, viewers may struggle to see the moon until later in the evening.

Ian has also reminded people to look out for Mars at around 11.30pm, as it will look "incredibly big and bright and red".

What is a lunar eclipse?

A lunar eclipse takes place when the earth lies directly between the sun and the moon, leaving the moon in the shadow of the earth.

It can either be a total, penumbral or partial eclipse - depending on the position of the moon in relation to the sun.

A penumbral eclipse - when the moon travels through the outer, fainter part of the earth's shadow - can be easy to miss, as the moon is still exposed to some sunlight.

During a partial eclipse, only a small section of the moon will be covered by the earth's full 'umbral' shadow.

Is it safe to watch?

Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse is totally safe to watch without goggles.

You could even use a telescope to watch it, but it will be just as dramatic viewed through the naked eye.

When can I see Friday's eclipse?

Friday's maximum eclipse is set to take place between 9.21pm and 10.13pm - but the moon will remain darkened until 12.28am on Saturday.

The moon will start to lose its red colour at quarter past ten, and the strange hue will disappear by around 11.19pm.

What makes the moon turn red?

Strangely, it's dust that causes the moon to turn a distinctive red colour during a lunar eclipse.

This is because it blocks out higher frequency blue light waves, but allows the longer wavelength of red light through.

However, this means the colour of the moon on Friday will depend on the amount of dust floating around in the atmosphere.

The Mid-Kent Astronomical group meets twice a month in Bredhurst Village Hall - click here for more information.

Don't forget to send us your pictures of this Friday's blood moon to news@thekmgroup.co.uk, or tweet @Kent_Online