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Calgarians who rise early and brave the cold Tuesday morning could be in for a big reward in the night sky.
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That’s because a total lunar eclipse will grace the skies over North America overnight, resulting in a blood moon, where the totally eclipsed moon takes on a striking reddish hue.
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“Assuming the sky is clear Tuesday morning, it’s going to be spectacular,” said Neel Roberts, an astronomer at the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Calgary.
“And this one actually peaks during the witching hour, which is between three and four in the morning, so that adds to the whole feeling of the moon effect.”
Over Calgary, the partial eclipse will begin at 2:09 am. The total lunar eclipse begins at 3:16 a.m. and ends at 4 a.m., for a total of 86 minutes where the blood moon will be visible. The disappearing act will end at 6:56 a.m., when the sun begins to rise.
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For those who want to witness the eclipse, the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Calgary is setting up two viewing locations in the city: one at the Weaselhead Flat entrance to North Glenmore Park and one at Nose Hill Park on 64th Avenue NW. Both events take place from 1 to 6 in the morning and include free use of telescopes and binoculars.
The eclipse is a naked-eye event, Roberts explained, meaning observers can look directly at the blood moon.
He encouraged Calgarians to grab a thermos and pack for the occasion.
“It’s a school night, but there are some things worth staying up and cold for,” Richards said.
The next total lunar eclipse will not occur until March 14, 2025.
Tuesday’s event has another peculiar feature: It is the first total lunar eclipse to occur on an election day in US history.
jherring@postmedia.com
Twitter: @jasonfherring