Sky-watchers are in for a rare treat tonight when they will be able to see Mars eclipsed by the moon.

The cycle begins at 11 p.m. tonight when Mars and the moon begin to rise east. But at 5.30 a.m tomorrow, early birds will see the spectacular sight of Mars disappearing behind the moon and the reappearing about an hour later.

And Bermuda will be one of the few places on earth to witness the celestial event, which occurs about twice a year.

Eddie McGonagle of Bermuda Astronomical Society said yesterday he did not know the last time the event was visible from Bermuda. "It will be spectacular in the sense it will be interesting to watch," he said. "It will be a reddish-yellow colour as it is approaching closer and it will be fine to look at with the naked eye, although binoculars would be better.

"The eclipse will be in the twilight of dawn and some of the stars will have faded, but Mars should be bright enough to see. "It doesn't happen often that you get the chance to see it. It is a phenomenon that happens twice a year somewhere in the world. "The news said the last time it happened in Bermuda is 25 years ago, but I don't know where that came from. I don't know when it happened last."

The event will occur in an S shape movement across the skies which can be witnessed in Bermuda, through Florida and out across the Florida Peninsula. Bermuda will not see the event again until 2013.