On the night of August 27-28, a partial lunar eclipse will be visible across Canada. This eclipse, following the total solar eclipse witnessed in Iceland, Spain, and a portion of Portugal two weeks ago, will have a significant 93% coverage at its peak.
Lunar eclipses occur when the moon passes through the Earth’s shadow, known as its umbra. Before entering the umbra, it first goes through the Earth’s outer, fainter shadow called the penumbra, which is challenging to see with the naked eye due to its dimness.
Most regions in Canada will witness the entire eclipse duration, with Western Canada already experiencing the partial eclipse as the moon rises.
Unlike solar eclipses, watching a lunar eclipse does not require protective eyewear, and the event unfolds over hours rather than minutes. The lunar eclipse on August 27-28 will be visible across North and South America.
The eclipse will commence as the moon enters Earth’s penumbra around 10 p.m. ET, with the visible phase starting at 10:33 p.m. ET on August 27 and concluding at 1:52 a.m. on August 28. The deepest part of the eclipse, where almost the entire moon appears darkened, will happen at 12:13 a.m.
This astronomical event is part of a series of celestial occurrences this month, which include the Perseids and the Jupiter-Mercury conjunction. While it won’t be a “blood moon” due to its partial nature, the eclipse may still appear red to observers in Canada.
One of the advantages of lunar eclipses is that they can be enjoyed without any special equipment, just using your eyes. For those interested in capturing the event, binoculars, a small telescope, or a smartphone with a good night mode can help take impressive pictures.