A total lunar eclipse will turn the moon red on Tuesday morning. The blood moon should be visible on March 3, just before sunrise. “In the case of a lunar eclipse, what happens is that we get in between the sun and the moon. So the shadow of the Earth is cast upon the moon,” Orbax, a science communicator with the department of physics at the University of Guelph, explained. Starting around 5 a.m. on March 3, the characteristic “cookie bite” shaped shadowing will start, with the moon getting darker and darker until about 6 a.m. “And for a split second, the moon will be completely dark, and then that’s when it will turn red. So between 6 and 7 a.m., with totality taking place around 6:30, you’ll have this red blood moon,” Orbax said. The red hue is created as the sun’s light passes through the Earth’s atmosphere, causing blue light to be diverted away from the moon, while the longer wavelengths of red light bend toward the moon. Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses can be safely watched with the naked eye, protective glasses are not needed. Orbax noted that the timing of this lunar eclipse, happening just before sunrise in southwestern Ontario, makes it especially convenient for people to see it, including young people. “This is happening just in the a couple of hours before school. It’s a great opportunity to take a look up and talk about science and about the universe.” The next full lunar eclipse that will be visible southwestern Ontario will happen in June 2029. You can watch Orbax’s complete explanation with illustrating graphics in this month’s edition of the Star Gazing Guide.
