Photos: Kiwis treated to stunning spectacle of lunar eclipse

Stargazers across the country were treated to a rare sight yesterday evening when a total lunar eclipse turned the moon a "blood" orange.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes directly between the sun and the moon, blocking sunlight from reaching the lunar surface.

According to NASA, the moon's orange hue is created by small amounts of sunlight passing through the Earth's atmosphere. It appears orange because colours with shorter wavelengths, like blues and violets, scatter more easily than those with longer wavelengths, like red and orange.

The eclipse reached its totality between 8pm and 8.30pm when the moon was fully enshrouded by the Earth's shadow.

Kiwis up and down the country ventured outside, waiting for a gap in the clouds to catch a glimpse at the rare sight.

Here are some of the photos they sent to 1News: