Fresh off a rare seven planet alignment in our night sky, Saskatchewanians will be treated to a lunar eclipse later this month. This will be the first full lunar eclipse since 2022 and will be visible in almost all parts of the country.
The eclipse will start in the late hours of March 13th and early morning hours of March 14th. In fact, Saskatchewan Stargazers will have to be up overnight to witness what some scientists call the “blood moon,” due to it the reddish glow the moon will appear to have. The eclipse is expected to start around 12:30am Sask time and continue for about one hour, however the the entire process can last for five to six hours.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the sun and a full moon, blocking any light the moon would get. The reddish glow comes from sunlight that is refracted from Earth’s atmosphere on to the the moon. Unlike a solar eclipse, where the moon gets between the sun and Earth, a lunar eclipse is safe to view without eye protection.
Upcoming celestial events include a partial solar eclipse expected on March 29th, which will be most visible across Greenland, northern Canada, and northern Europe and the Lyrids meteor shower is set for April 22nd and 23rd.
Happy stargazing!
