Set your alarms (or plan a very late night snack run), because the moon is putting on a show early Tuesday morning.
Canada is in for a total lunar eclipse.
Who Gets the Best View?
If you’re in coastal B.C. or Yukon, WOOHOO! You’ll catch the whole thing from start to finish.
Across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, you’ll see the entire total phase (the dramatic “blood moon” moment) before the moon sets during the partial phase.
In Atlantic Canada, the eclipse will only appear partial. And in the eastern time zone, the moon will dip below the horizon before totality wraps up.
Here’s the Timeline (All Mountain Time)
- 1:44 a.m. MT – The moon enters Earth’s faint outer shadow (the penumbra). You probably won’t notice much change yet.
- 2:50 a.m. MT – The moon moves into the darker inner shadow (the umbra). This is when you’ll start to see a dark “bite” appear.
- 4:04 a.m. MT – Totality begins. The entire moon turns that iconic reddish-orange colour.
- 5:03 a.m. MT – Totality ends, and the moon moves back into a partial eclipse before setting.
So if you only want to catch the best part? Aim for sometime between 4 and 5 a.m.
Why Does It Turn Red?
When Earth blocks direct sunlight, the only light reaching the moon has passed through our atmosphere. Blue light scatters, red light bends through and bam: blood moon.
If there’s extra dust in the atmosphere the moon can look even darker.
Pro Tip:
Paul Delaney from York University suggests dressing warmly (because… Alberta at 4 a.m.) and planning your photo ahead of time. The moon will be low on the horizon, which could actually make for some gorgeous skyline shots.
For exact details based on your location, you can check Time and Date.
Bottom line? It’s worth setting the alarm. Coffee is temporary. A blood moon at 4 a.m. is forever.
Comments