The March 29 solar eclipse is the counterpart to the lunar eclipse that was widely seen across North America on March 14.Mark Blinch/Getty Images
Watching the sun rise out of the Atlantic ocean is a pastime accessible to anyone with a good view from Canada’s east coast. But this Saturday, the appearance of the rising sun will differ dramatically from what observers in the region are used to experiencing.
Instead of the usual reddish-orange disc, the sun will pierce the horizon with the sharp horn of a crescent as it rises in the midst of a deep partial eclipse.
The March 29 solar eclipse is the counterpart to the lunar eclipse that was widely seen across North America on March 14. Since eclipses can take place only whenever the Earth, moon and sun can form a straight line, the two types of eclipse often happen in pairs separated by a two-week interval.
Earlier this month, the alignment caused Earth’s shadow to darken the moon. Now it’s the moon’s turn to block a portion of the sun’s light from reaching Earth.
In this case, the central portion of the moon’s shadow will miss Earth altogether so there will be no repeat of last April’s spectacular total eclipse of the sun. However, all of Atlantic Canada and eastern Quebec as far up the St. Lawrence as Charlevoix will see an early morning partial eclipse with more than 80 per cent of the sun’s disc covered by the moon. Anyone watching from the Labrador coast and Baffin Island will have a chance to see more than 90 per cent of the sun covered.
Further west, the eclipse will be much reduced or non-existent. Less than one third of the sun will be covered for those watching in Ottawa, a fraction that diminishes to near zero for observers in Toronto.
The key variable will be weather, with forecasts mixed across much of the region.
As with every solar eclipse it is always dangerous to stare at the sun, and never safe to look at the sun with binoculars or a telescope unless equipped with a certified solar filter. Those planning to use viewers left over from last year’s total eclipse should check for scratches or holes to make sure they are not damaged after a year in the kitchen drawer.
In this case the time of the eclipse is easy to remember because it will already be in progress as the sun rises in most Atlantic Canadian locations. One notable exception will be St. John’s, which is far enough north that the entirety of the eclipse will be visible there from 6:58 a.m. to 8:52 a.m. local time.
Further south, in Halifax, the eclipse will be well under way as the crescent sun rises around 7 a.m. and reaches its maximum about 15 minutes later.
Tiffany Fields, an astronomy technician who runs the Burke-Gaffney Observatory at St. Mary’s University in Halifax, said she plans to head out well before then to find a spot with an unobstructed view of the eastern horizon in her neighbourhood.
“I think it’s particularly neat when the sun takes on this crescent shape because it’s so different from what we are used to,” she said.
Wherever skies are clear, the event will offer photographers a chance to capture a rare portrait of the eclipsed sun on the horizon. Those who watch the sun coming up over the ocean may also see additional visual effects because of atmospheric refraction.