We are facing a lunar eclipse and people in Ontario are in a unique position to see what is known as the “super colorful blood moon” this Sunday night.
Yes, the event will be as cool as it sounds, and CTV News Toronto spoke with Jesse Rogerson, Ph.D., astrophysicist and assistant at York University, and Rachel Ward-Maxwell, Ph.D., programmer, astronomy and space science at the Science Center of Ontario on what to expect and the best place to catch a natural phenomenon.
WHY IS IT CALLED “SUPER COLORED BLOOD MOON TORTURE”?
“OK. So these are three different things, and all three are interesting reflections of humanity,” Rodgerson said.
- “Super refers to the fact that the moon will be closest to us in its orbit. So the Moon orbits us in an ellipse, which means that there is one point in its orbit that is closest to the Earth, and then there is another point in its orbit where it is furthest from the Earth. Whenever it is at the nearest approach point, which is called the super moon.
- This is the moon of flowers, because it happens in April, May, this is the time when we start to bloom and you look outside and you get beautiful flowers and the trees finally start to get their leaves, and that’s why we call it the color moon Said Rodgerson.
It should be noted that the very name “flower” comes from the Farmer’s Almanac, which has given different names to the full moons depending on the month (think “harvest moon”).
However, “these names are based on different traditions and cultures. [Flower] it may not be specific to a name that would be used by indigenous peoples in Ontario, “said Ward-Maxwell.
- For Rodgerson, the blood element of this eclipse is “really, really fun.”
“What this is about is that we are going into a total lunar eclipse this weekend. On Sunday night our moon will go into the earth’s shadow. And now you’d think that meant the moon would darken, right?
“The shadow of the Earth is not perfectly dark, there is a little red tint to our shadow. So when the moon enters our shadow, what it does in the end does not turn completely black, it becomes very dark red, almost purple in color and “It’s been called a bloody moon in millennia of human history,” he said.
Super flower bloody moon. The full moon rises over the silhouette of Toronto, as seen from Milton, Ontario, on Monday, November 14, 2016. CANADIAN PRESS / Mark Blinch
WHEN CAN YOU SEE “SUPER FLOWERS BLOOD MOON TORTURE”?
While the lunar eclipse will last several hours on Sunday, there are several times you should be aware of, Ward-Maxwell said.
- 21:30: “If you had to leave at 9:32, when the eclipse officially begins, you will not be able to notice a big difference, because the shadow of the semi-shadow (lighter) is not actually as visible as the shadow of the tone (darker) ).
- 22:30: “10:27 is when the darkness begins to fall on the moon. And so, then begins the partial eclipse. So I would recommend people to go out just before 10:30 so they can actually see the shadow of the moon.
- 11:30 pm: “In general, when the moon will look reddish-orange, it will start at 11:30 am until almost 1 o’clock in the morning. It will last 85 minutes, the longest lunar eclipse since 2007. It will be good if we have bad weather, that we have a nice long window so we can try to see it. ”
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THERE IS RAIN OVER MOST SOUTHERN ONTARIO ON SUNDAY FORECAST. WILL THIS MAKE A DIFFERENCE HOW VISIBLE IS THIS TORTURE?
The weather, according to Rodgerson, will be the “biggest race” in the actual viewing of the event this weekend.
“As soon as you get some big clouds – you’re ready. “You can’t see it at all,” he said. “A few fluffy clouds – you know how you go out and you can see the full moon, even if there are a few clouds, you still see it – that’s good. But if it’s cloudy on Sunday and you can’t usually see the moon, then you won’t see the moon tonight. “
“We are somehow at the mercy of the clouds, so to speak,” he said.
DO YOU NEED SPECIAL TECHNOLOGY OR EQUIPMENT TO SEE IT?
Unlike a solar eclipse, in which you need protective lenses to watch the sun safely, you need nothing more than your own eyes to witness the rare event, Ward-Maxwell said.
“Since we’re going to watch the moon, it’s completely safe. You do not need any equipment or precautions. “Just go outside, find an unobstructed view of the moon and you will only be able to see it with the naked eye,” she said.
IF I MISS THIS SUPER BLOOD MOON, WHEN CAN I EXPECT TO CATCH THE NEXT?
“It will definitely happen again in our lives, but it won’t happen soon,” Rodgerson said.
If you can’t stay awake to watch the whole event, Rodgerson said you’ll probably get another chance to witness the phenomenon in five or six years.
WHERE WOULD BE THE BEST PLACE TO WATCH THE MEETING?
The wonderful thing about a total lunar eclipse, according to Rodgerson, is that you won’t have to travel far to see this view. In fact, you won’t have to travel at all.
“Literally everywhere in Ontario is the best place to see that,” Rodgerson said. “The moon is so visible, the moon is so easy to see, you don’t need a super dark sky. You can be in the center of Toronto and as long as you see the moon – you will be able to see it.
“Light pollution is not a problem, you just need a clear view of the sky … You can literally go out wherever you live. The last person I watched, I went out on my front porch and said to myself, “Oh, here it is. Here is the moon right there and I can see it appear. Because the moon is so bright, it’s not that restrictive. “
If you want to take a mini-trip to your spectacle party, Ward-Maxwell suggests traveling to an area of the countryside where clear skies are expected on Sunday, such as northern Ontario.
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