Photo: Megan Fletcher
A total lunar eclipse and supermoon over Okanagan in 2019
A super flower bloody lunar eclipse is coming up this weekend, but it can be hard to spot in the southern interior.
Ken Taping, an astronomer at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory of the National Research Council near Penticton, says the problem is that the moon rises quite late here at this time of year.
The eclipse begins just before 7:30 pm on Sunday night, but the moon rises only around 9 pm
“That suggests a flat horizon and, of course, we don’t have flat horizons here,” Tapping said. “The moon will now be completely eclipsed.”
However, you may be able to see the end of the heavenly event.
“It’s worth keeping an eye on the southeastern horizon, starting around 9:30, for example, and watching every few minutes until you really see something, until about 10 something. And then it’s probably all over, “he said.
This will be the first lunar eclipse in 2022 and will be fully or partially visible in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Antarctica and the Eastern Pacific.
The bloody moon refers to the red color of the moon during an eclipse. It is also known by other names at this time of year, including flower moon, milk moon or rabbit moon.
Tapping says the reference to the rabbit brings back memories of his young days in England.
“I was observing at an observatory in the south-west of England in an area surrounded by thatched houses and country pubs. In the spring we would go to the roof of the control building and watch the rabbits go straight to the bananas. Chase back and forth at high speed across the field, chase each other, jump in the air and so on. It was amazing.
“So we saw real March rabbits.”
The only other lunar eclipse of the year will be on November 8 and will be visible at least partially from Asia, Australia, North America, parts of Northern and Eastern Europe, the Arctic and most of South America, according to TimeandDate.com.
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