'Blood moon' total lunar eclipse to light up P.E.I. sky tonight
Unlike solar eclipses, this celestial phenomenon is safe to observe with the naked eye
Prince Edward Islanders are in for a celestial treat tonight as a total lunar eclipse will be visible across the province and throughout Canada. Unlike last year's solar eclipse, this one is safe to view with the naked eye.
This occurs when the Earth aligns itself between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow on the lunar surface.
Normally, the moon is visible through light from the sun bouncing off it. But during this phenomenon, sunlight filters through the Earth's atmosphere, causing the moon to take on a reddish colour, said Chris Vessey of the Charlottetown Astronomy Club.
"It's like putting a bit of a red gel on a projector and projecting it onto the moon," said Vessey, who is also the leader of the Sidewalk Astronomers of Charlottetown.
A lunar eclipse is also known as a "blood moon" in popular culture.
For Mi'kmaq on P.E.I. and in Atlantic Canada, the moon around March is known as Si'ko'ku's, or the maple or maple sugar moon, owing to this time of year when sap starts running down trees.
When to look up to the sky
The eclipse begins on the Island at about 12:57 a.m. when the moon will enter the Earth's outer shadow, known as the penumbral shadow.
But according to Vessey, the most interesting part of the lunar eclipse starts just over an hour later.
"That's when you're going to start seeing that dark bite taken into the moon, and that's going to go all the way through until the total eclipse starts at 3:25 a.m., so that's when the entire moon surface is covered," he said.
He added that totality will end around 4:30 a.m., when the moon will begin to lighten, and the last of the darkness will disappear by about 5:45 a.m.
On average, lunar eclipses occur every two and a half years, but in this case, the configuration of the Earth, moon and sun won't happen again until 2029, Vessey said.
"Enjoy it while you can see."
A new perspective on the eclipse
Blue Ghost, a lander owned by private U.S. company Firefly Aerospace, is expected to capture pictures of Earth from the moon during the lunar eclipse.
It is only the second time in history that pictures will be taken from both celestial bodies during this phenomenon. According to Vessey, these images will be different than the ones taken by NASA's Surveyor 3 in 1967.
"This will be a standard high resolution image like we're used to seeing from space probes," he said.
"This is going to be an amazing opportunity to see what it looks like from the body being eclipsed."
With files from Island Morning