On the night of August 27-28, a deep partial lunar eclipse will be visible across Canada. Following the recent total solar eclipse in Iceland, Spain, and Portugal, this event will have 93% coverage at its peak. Lunar eclipses happen when the moon passes through Earth’s shadow, known as the umbra, after moving through the dimmer penumbra. Most of Canada will witness the entire eclipse duration, with Western Canada catching the partial eclipse as the moon rises.
Unlike solar eclipses, protective eyewear is unnecessary for observing lunar eclipses. These events span hours, unlike the brief minutes of a solar eclipse. The eclipse will start at around 10 p.m. ET as the moon enters Earth’s penumbra, but the visible phase begins at 10:33 p.m. ET on August 27 and concludes at 1:52 a.m. on August 28, reaching its deepest point at 12:13 a.m.
This lunar eclipse will be visible across North and South America. Elaina Hyde, the director of the Allan I. Carswell Observatory at York University, Toronto, highlighted the exciting astronomical events of August, including the recent solar eclipse, Perseids meteor shower, and the Jupiter-Mercury conjunction.
While this will be a partial eclipse, viewers in Canada can still expect a reddish hue during the event. No equipment is necessary to observe the eclipse, with naked eyes being sufficient. However, binoculars, a small telescope, or a camera with excellent night mode can enhance the viewing experience and capture impressive images.
