Solar event will darken Halifax on Wednesday afternoon
Nova Scotia residents are preparing for a partial solar eclipse occurring on Wednesday afternoon. The event will be accompanied by a planetary alignment at dawn and the Perseid meteor shower peaking at night.
Why it matters
Celestial events provide significant public interest and educational opportunities, though they require specific safety precautions like protective eyewear.
Nova Scotians should be able to — with protective eyewear — look up on Wednesday and see about half of the sun covered.
On Aug. 12 the province, along with the rest of the Atlantic coast will be the only ones in Canada able to see a true partial solar eclipse, which is when the moon covers half the sun.
It’s set to begin at 1:54 p.m. and last about two hours until 4:04 p.m.
Special eclipse glasses are crucial, even if a morsel of sun is showing.
Further west from Halifax, like Montreal and Ottawa, the amount the moon covering the sun decreases, making it only slightly visible. Monrealers will see about an 18 per cent bite out of the sun , tapering to 12 per cent for the nation’s capital.
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