On the night of August 27-28, a significant partial lunar eclipse will be visible all over the country. This event follows closely after a total solar eclipse that was observed in Iceland, Spain, and a portion of Portugal about two weeks ago. The upcoming partial eclipse is expected to be quite deep, with a maximum coverage of 93 percent.
Lunar eclipses occur when the moon passes through Earth’s shadow, known as its umbra. Before entering the umbra, the moon first moves through the outer, fainter shadow called the penumbra. However, due to its dimness, it is challenging to observe with the naked eye.
The eclipse will be visible throughout most of Canada, with Western Canada already witnessing the partial eclipse as the moon rises. Unlike solar eclipses, no protective eyewear is required to view a lunar eclipse, and the event unfolds over hours rather than minutes.
The eclipse will commence as the moon enters Earth’s penumbra around 10 p.m. ET, but the visible phase begins at 10:33 p.m. ET on August 27 and ends at 1:52 a.m. on August 28. The deepest part of the eclipse, with nearly the entire moon appearing darkened, will occur at 12:13 a.m.
This astronomical event is one of several occurring this month. Elaina Hyde, director of the Allan I. Carswell Observatory at York University’s department of physics and astronomy in Toronto, highlighted the exciting astronomical events in August, including the partial solar eclipse on August 12, the Perseids meteor shower, and the Jupiter-Mercury conjunction.
Regarding the lunar eclipse, Hyde mentioned that while it will not be a “blood moon” due to its partial nature, observers in Canada can still expect to see a reddish hue. No special equipment is needed to view lunar eclipses, making them accessible for all observers.