There will be a red moon rising over Alberta the evening of March 13, but you might have to get above the clouds to see it.
Most Albertans will get to see lunar eclipse this March 13-14. Residents in much of Alberta might miss out, though, as Environment Canada has predicted clouds and snow over most of the province that night.
Lunar eclipses happen whenever the moon enters the Earth’s shadow, explained St. Albert astronomer Murray Paulson. Since the moon’s orbit is at an angle relative to that of the Earth’s around the sun, this happens at irregular but predictable times.
Earth typically gets about two total lunar eclipses a year, but those events aren’t always visible from Alberta, said Frank Florian, senior manager of space sciences at the Telus World of Science Edmonton. Earth can experience zero to three lunar eclipses and two to five solar eclipses in any given year.
Paulson said this week’s eclipse will start at 9:57 p.m. March 13 with the penumbral eclipse, which is when the moon passes through the Earth’s outer shadow. This does dim the moon’s light, but you probably won’t notice without the aid of measuring equipment. The moon enters the darker, inner shadow, or umbra, at about 11:09 p.m. This starts the partial eclipse, where it looks like there is a dark bite taken out of the moon.
The moon turns red instead of black as this happens due to the Earth’s atmosphere, Florian said. While there’s no direct light in the Earth’s shadow, the moon will still be lit by long-wavelength red light refracted by Earth’s atmosphere. Because the moon is entering the northern edge of Earth’s shadow, the top half of the moon should appear brighter than the bottom during the eclipse.
If you happen to be on the moon during the total eclipse, you will see the grey rocks around you turn red, and the Earth above you will seem to be ringed with fire, Florian said.
“It would look very eerie.”
The total lunar eclipse will run from 12:26 a.m. to 1:31 a.m. on the 14th, with the partial eclipse ending at 2:47 a.m. The penumbral eclipse will end at 4 a.m, restoring the moon to normal illumination.
You won’t need protective goggles to view the eclipse, but Paulson said binoculars or a telescope would help make its colours more intense. He hoped to take pictures of this week’s eclipse, and was thinking heading to Calgary should it prove impossible to see here.
Florian said he hoped to set up some telescopes for public viewing of the eclipse Thursday night should the weather permit it. If it doesn’t, Albertans will get another chance to see a total lunar eclipse on March 3, 2026.
Florian said lunar eclipses are neat ways to prove the Earth is round (as it casts a round shadow) and to see the faint stars normally blotted out by moonlight.
They’re also pretty fun, Paulson said.
“It’s a beautiful phenomenon to watch.”
