The eclipse is to start at 9.01pm with the moon moving partially into the shadow of the earth.

According to Rui Agostinho, an astronomer and professor at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, at 10.31pm the eclipse will be at its maximum, with the entire phenomenon ending at 1.20am on Wednesday.

“Twice a year the moon passes into the shadow zone,” explained the astronomer.

At the CIAPS - Pedra and Sal Environmental Interpretation Centre in Estoril, there will be a session open to the public to observe the eclipse using telescopes.

There will also be observation sessions in the Planetarium of Porto, the Centre of Living Science and the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences.