Canadians can catch a nearly total lunar eclipse Thursday night
Canadian skywatchers will have the opportunity to view a nearly total lunar eclipse on Thursday night. The event occurs as the Earth passes between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow that will turn the moon orange.
Why it matters
This astronomical event provides a rare educational and observational opportunity for the public to witness celestial mechanics in real-time.
A man views the lunar eclipse in on March 3, in Maine. Canadian skywatchers with a clear view can watch a nearly total eclipse of the moon on Thursday night. Robert F. Bukaty/The Associated Press
Just two weeks after a solar eclipse plunged parts of Europe into an eerie daytime darkness, Canadian skywatchers will have the chance to experience the reverse effect.
On Thursday night, those with a clear view can watch a nearly total eclipse of the moon.
The two events are closely related. A solar eclipse can occur only when the moon’s position lines up with the sun and temporarily blocks it from view. If the moon covers the sun completely – as it did for observers in some areas of Iceland and Spain on Aug. 12 – the solar eclipse is total.
Where to see all the total solar eclipses for the rest of this decade
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