A partial solar eclipse is set to be visible for some Canadians on Wednesday, followed by a Perseid meteor shower later in the night.
A partial solar eclipse occurs when “the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth but the Sun, Moon, and Earth are not perfectly lined up,” NASA states. “Only a part of the Sun will appear to be covered, giving it a crescent shape.”
The eclipse is set to be visible in northern and western parts of Canada, with Newfoundland and Labrador expected to get the clearest view, according to Pierre Langlois, manager for space astronomy and planetary science missions at the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
Below are the local times the partial solar eclipse will be most visible in Canada.
- Prince George, British Columbia: 8:54 a.m
- Edmonton: 10:02 a.m.
- Toronto: 12:55 p.m.
- St. John’s, Newfoundland: 2:28 p.m.
Proper eye protection is “required at all times” when viewing any eclipse, which some Canadians may still have from the April 2024 total solar eclipse that darkened Canadian skies.
“It’s going to be just like if you saw the full sun with a little five per cent of obscuration,” Langlois said. “We won’t see a difference without eclipse glasses. But using the glasses, you’ll clearly see that little dent into the sun.”
Canadians can also build a makeshift projector using an empty cardboard box, aluminum foil and white paper to view the eclipse if protective eyeglasses are not available.
A total solar eclipse is set to be visible in Canada on April 8, 2028, followed by another one falling on according to the CSA.
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Spain and Iceland are set to witness the most complete view of the eclipse, which will be a total solar eclipse in the country. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon moves between the sun and Earth, according to NASA.
If viewing the eclipse was not enough, Canadians also have the opportunity to view a Perseid meteor shower, which is peaking Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
A spokesperson with NASA told Global News that a Perseid meteor shower is caused by “the Earth passing through debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle as it moves in its orbit about the Sun.”
As a result, “these bits of debris enter Earth’s atmosphere at a very fast 59 kilometers per second, vaporizing about 80 to 90 kilometers altitude and leaving behind streaks of light we call meteors or shooting stars,” the spokesperson said in a written statement.
“You have to be patient, but it’s a great spectacle if you’re lucky to be in a region where you can see it,” Langlois said. “It’s a bit like when we’re driving into snow, we see snowflakes coming towards us. That’s exactly what’s happening with these meteor showers.”
Perseid meteor showers occur yearly and can start to be seen from the Northern Hemisphere from late July to mid-August and make it “much easier to predict” visible shooting stars.
For optimal viewing, the CSA recommends heading away from city lights, which can make it hard to see fainter meteors. If a flashlight is needed, “place a red filter over the bulb,” the agency recommends.
NASA also advised finding “a place with a dark sky, lie on your back and look straight up to take in as much of the sky as possible,” since “Perseids can appear anywhere in the sky.”
“Give your eyes at least 30 minutes to adapt to the dark and try not to look at your cell phone, as the bright screen ruins night vision.”
“As soon as the sun is set, you want the sky to be really dark, so I’d say around after 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., should be maximum just because of the sheer darkness,” Langlois said.
No additional technology or eye coverings are needed to view the shower, although Langlois recommends using a camera with a long lens to take pictures.
“The best technology would be a heating blanket and a hot chocolate dispenser, if possible.”
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