By Trelle Kolojay

Lunar eclipse visible in Sask. Saturday morning

Apr 3, 2015 | 11:35 AM

Saskatchewan skywatchers will be in for a treat early Saturday morning as a total lunar eclipse will be visible in the province.

The sun, Earth and moon will all form a straight line as the full moon passes into Earth’s shadow. The eclipse starts to form in Saskatchewan at 4:16 a.m. and lasts until 7:45 a.m.

The total eclipse will occur from 5:58 a.m. to 6:03 a.m. – the shortest total lunar eclipse in a century. During totality, the moon will likely change colour.

“As the moon gets covered, you’ll see it turn into a grey and then a darker orange and then a nice coral colour or burnt orange,” said Gary Boyle, an astronomy teacher at Algonquin College in Ottawa known as the “backyard astronomer.”

The colour change is due to refracted sunlight and the amount of water, dust and volcanic ash in the Earth’s atmosphere and the colour varies for each eclipse.

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On Saturday, most of Canada will be able to see portions of the eclipse, but Saskatchewan lucks out with the longest view before sunrise gets in the way.

“You’ll get a good front row seat,” Boyle said.

He recommends getting outside the city where you can see as much flat land as possible in the west and away from buildings, trees and lights.

“Events like this are great because it drives people out of the house and away from the three Ts – the telephone, tablet and TV – and just watching Mother Nature’s greatest show,” Boyle said.

The next total lunar eclipse is Sept. 28 but Boyle said it won’t be as good of a view for Saskatchewanians as this April eclipse.

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