Night owls and space-lovers will enjoy a rare celestial event this Sunday when the Earth moves between the sun and the moon. As astronomy-enthusiasts know, the upcoming lunar eclipse, also known as a B次元官网网址楤lood MoonB次元官网网址� will cast the moon in a deep orange-red hue as it falls completely behind the shadow of the Earth.

For Greater Victoria (and the rest of North America) the prime window for viewing is between 6:36 p.m. and 11:48 p.m. At 8:41, the total eclipse starts and the moon will be cast in red until 9:43 p.m. when the west side of the moon begins to leave the EarthB次元官网网址檚 shadow.

Have you ever 馃憖 a lunar eclipse through a giant telescope馃敪? Now's your chance! Come down to the observatory for a rare treat 馃寫
More info and registration here

B次元官网网址� UVic Events (@UVicEvents)

University of Victoria astronomer Dr. Karun Thanjavur said the red hue can be attributed to the same scattering of particles that makes the sun look red during sunrises and sunsets. Colours on the blue end of the colour spectrum are scattered, leaving behind shades of red, orange and yellow.

In fact, Thanjavur said if someone was sitting on the moon during the eclipse they would think they were seeing a sunset.

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B次元官网网址淸We] are just looking at it through the earthB次元官网网址檚 atmosphere,B次元官网网址� he explained.

On Sunday, UVic hosts an open house so the public can view the eclipse from its observatory.

Thanjavur said that, weather-dependent, the public can get an exceptional view of the moonB次元官网网址檚 surface using UVic telescopes.

B次元官网网址淯sually, when you have a full moon, you canB次元官网网址檛 look at the moon at all through a telescope because itB次元官网网址檚 so blindingly bright,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淒uring the eclipse, because of the dimming, we can actually look at it.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭his time, because of the magnification offered by the telescope, you will get to see the craters during an eclipse. YouB次元官网网址檒l see more surface features of the moon.B次元官网网址�

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Doors open at 6:30 p.m. on the fifth floor of the Bob Wright Centre. Registration is encouraged but not required. Visitors are encouraged to come out only if the weather is optimal for moon-viewing.

For those who prefer to watch the eclipse with their eyes, the Royal Astronomical Society of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 (RASC) Victoria chapter recommends heading eastward.

B次元官网网址淏ecause the eclipse begins in the eastern sky, sites like Island View Beach, Cattle Point Dark Sky Park, Mount Tolmie and Clover Point are good vantage points,B次元官网网址� said RASC president Reg Bunkley.

Bunkley said VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 response to the last lunar eclipse, back in 2015, was remarkable.

B次元官网网址淧eople came by the thousands to Clover Point, Island View Beach, Esquimalt Lagoon and the DAO to bear witness to an astronomical spectacle. The magnitude of the response was a wonderful surprise.B次元官网网址�

The RASC is not hosting any special events this year.

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