Longest partial eclipse in centuries can be seen by the naked eye Friday for earlier risers
Officials in Sudbury say that telescopes and binoculars won’t be needed to get a glimpse of one of the longest partial lunar eclipses in centuries.
On Friday, a partial lunar eclipse is expected to be seen from the comfort of your own backyard, as long as Mother Nature cooperates.
“As it’s nearing the most of the totality that it will do, the most shadowing that will happen from the Earth, it will appear darker and perhaps even an orangey shade,” said Linda Pulliah, outreach coordinator for the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Sudbury branch.
“Or even right down to a dark brick red kind of shade and that’s not predictable, just how dark or bright it will be, and then it will lighten up again.”
Pulliah said since it isn’t a total eclipse, the entire moon will not change colours.
“We’re not going to be totally eclipsed,” she said. “So even when they look up around 4 o’clock at the point of maximum totality for what we’re going to have, or maximum eclipsing, there will be a sliver of bright white.”
On average, lunar eclipses happen twice a year, but they often are hard to see. Pulliah said it’s always exciting when they can be seen by the naked eye.
“They don’t need to look through a telescope, they don’t need any special optical aids, the naked eye – unaided eye -- is perfectly safe and fine to view and eclipse," she said. "So young and old alike can enjoy it.”
According to NASA, Friday will be the longest partial eclipse in the 21st century and officials at the Holcomb Observatory at Butler University in Indiana said it’s the longest partial lunar eclipse in 580 years.
Pulliah said the group will be livestreaming Friday’s event from 2 a.m. until 6 a.m. People will have the option to watch in real-time, or replay the video afterward on the website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
BREAKING London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.