If you look up at the night sky tonight, you are in for a rare celestial treat. Just two weeks after a partial solar eclipse swept through parts of North America, a near-total partial lunar eclipse is set to dominate the night sky.
This skywatching event will temporarily transform the full moon, blanketing almost the entire lunar surface in the Earth's shadow.
What is Happening Tonight?
A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth’s inner shadow, known as the umbra. During tonight's event, the alignment is so precise that it will look almost like a total eclipse.
According to Dr. William Archer, a program scientist in heliophysics at the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), approximately 93 to 94 percent of the moon will be obscured at the peak of the event. This will leave only a tiny, seven-percent sliver of the moon illuminated.
The entire transition is a slow, mesmerizing process that takes about six hours from start to finish. Skywatchers will see a brilliant full moon gradually darken over a three-hour period until it reaches maximum eclipse, before the shadow slowly recedes over the final three hours.
When and Where to Look
The eclipse will be visible from Thursday night into Friday morning, provided local weather conditions offer clear, cloudless skies.
While viewers across the country can catch a glimpse, the best visibility will belong to those in central and eastern Canada. The eclipse is scheduled to reach its maximum peak at:
- 10:10 p.m. Mountain Time
- 12:10 a.m. Eastern Time
Do You Need Special Gear?
Unlike solar eclipses, which require specialized protective eyewear to prevent permanent eye damage, lunar eclipses are entirely safe to watch with the naked eye.
Because you are only looking at sunlight reflected off the cold surface of the moon, there is zero risk to your vision.
"It is no more dangerous than looking at the moon, so you can stare at it as much as you'd like," Archer confirmed. No binoculars, telescopes, or filters are required to enjoy the view—though a simple pair of binoculars can help you see the craters along the shadow's edge in sharper detail.
What's Next for Skywatchers
While the CSA notes that we experience an average of two lunar eclipses per year (and occasionally up to five), near-total alignments like tonight's are always a special treat. If you miss tonight's event, you will have to wait quite a while for the next major domestic show. The next total lunar eclipse visible in Canadian skies is not projected to occur until late 2028.
