Calgarians who get up early and brave the cold Tuesday morning could be in for quite the reward in the night sky.
That’s because a total lunar eclipse will grace the skies above North America overnight, leading to a blood moon, where the fully eclipsed moon takes on a striking reddish tinge.
“Assuming the sky will be clear on Tuesday morning, it will be spectacular,” said Neel Roberts, an astronomer with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Calgary.
“And this one actually peaks during the witching hour, which is between three and four in the morning, so that kind of adds to the whole feeling of the lunar effect.”
Over Calgary, the partial eclipse will begin at 2:09 a.m. The total eclipse of the moon begins at 3:16 a.m. and peaks at 4 a.m., with a total of 86 minutes where the blood moon will be on display. The disappearing act will end at 6:56 a.m., as the sun begins to rise.
For those looking to witness the eclipse, the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Calgary is setting up two viewing sites in the city: one at the Weaselhead Flat entrance of North Glenmore Park, and one at Nose Hill Park at 64th Avenue N.W. Both events run from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. and feature free-to-use telescopes and binoculars.
The eclipse is a naked-eye event, Roberts explained, meaning observers can safely look directly at the blood moon.
He encouraged Calgarians to grab a thermos and bundle up for the occasion.
“It is a school night, but there are some things that are worth staying up for and getting cold for,” Richards said.
The next total lunar eclipse won’t happen until March 14, 2025.
The Tuesday event has one other peculiar trait: it’s the first total lunar eclipse to take place on an election day in United States history.
Twitter: @jasonfherring
