Vancouverites will be treated to a “penumbral” lunar eclipse Wednesday morning as the Earth casts its shadow over the moon — expected to cover three-quarters of the shining orb.
Between the hours of 2:30 a.m. and 7 a.m. on March 23, the moon will be eclipsed by the Earth, causing a visible shadow.
Michael Unger, programs co-ordinator at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, said on Monday that the moon will be partly covered by a light eclipse caused by the outer edges of the earth’s shadow — as opposed to a full lunar eclipse, when the moon is in the darkest part of the planet’s shadow.
The H.R. MacMillan Space Centre will be hosting a special pre-eclipse show and a session at the observatory, where space enthusiasts can learn the best methods and local areas to view the eclipse.
The next total lunar eclipse won’t occur until 31 January 2018, and the next penumbral lunar eclipse is set for September this year.
Agencies/Canadajournal