Early risers in Toronto may want to look out on the horizon Tuesday morning for the “Blood Moon,” as the next one won’t be back for years.
A total lunar eclipse will unfold in the early hours, turning the moon a crimson red as it slips into the Earth’s shadow and sunlight bends through the planet’s atmosphere.
Elaina Hyde, director of the Allan I. Carswell Observatory at York University, explained this kind of eclipse only happens when the Earth and the Moon align in a straight line, or what astronomers call a node of orbit.
“Generally, lunar eclipses are seen around about every two to three years,” Hyde explained. “It just so happens that this time it’s going to be at least three years before we get another one.”
This celestial show, the very first eclipse of the year, will last for around five and a half hours. The penumbral phase, the subtle, harder-to-spot beginning, starts just before 3:45 a.m.
- READ MORE: Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming total lunar eclipse or ‘Blood Moon’
“The early penumbral stage is not super spectacular. It is the moon moving into the lighter part of the Earth’s shadow but, you wait a little bit, and then you get what’s called a partial eclipse—when it sort of looks like a bite is being taken out of a moon,” Hyde explained, adding that “bite” will appear bigger the closer it nears the total eclipse.
The partial eclipse starts at 4:50 a.m. in Toronto, and then it will reach its totality at around 6 a.m. and will last until 6:52 a.m.
While lunar eclipses can be viewed with the naked eye, Ontario isn’t perfectly positioned this time around. The moon will sit low on the horizon during totality, Hyde explained, meaning buildings, trees or hills could easily block the view.
“You really do want to try to get that 6 a.m. show right because if you’re in Ontario,” Hyde said, adding that cloudy skies or rain can make it more challenging to see.
Planetary parade
On top of the eclipse, Hyde says there are “remnants” of a planetary parade that is currently taking over the night skies, meaning there are a large number of planets up in the sky and stretch out on a line called the ecliptic.
Though it will be harder to view come Tuesday, Hyde says early risers might be able to view some more than just the Blood Moon with Saturn up after sunset and Jupiter high in the sky at night—so long as they have binoculars, at the very least.
“Right now, you actually have Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Jupiter, all in the sky,” Hyde said. “Obviously Uranus and Neptune you can’t see with the naked eye, but Jupiter is very spectacular right now.”
The next total lunar eclipse will be visible in Toronto on June 26, 2029.
With files from CTVNews.ca’s Aarjavee Raj
