'Unbelievable orange glow' of blood moon set to descend on Alberta's night sky

This story was originally published Jan. 16.

An "unbelievable orange glow" is set to descend on Alberta as the moon enters total eclipse.

The phenomenon is so stunning, it's worth finding a dark placeto catch a glimpse, says astronomy commentatorDon Hladiuk. It willreach totality in Alberta at 10:12 p.m. MT on Jan. 20.

"Keep your kids up, stay late because you're not going to see another one for quite a few years," said Hladiuk, a long-time Calgary Eyeopenercolumnist.

The next total lunar eclipse won't be until May 2021, according to the Canadian Space Agency, which has aneclipse guide online. In Alberta,it'll be just visible over the mountains at it sets. The next time a full lunar eclipse can be well-seen in Alberta will be November2022 in the early morning, Hladiuk said.

This month's event fallsat an excellent time for viewing in Alberta, between 8:30 and 11 p.m.MT, Hladiuksaid. Anywhere dark, you'll have a great view and an even better one if you set a camera on a slow shutter speed.

"If you're in the country, you can see it, for sure," he said.

Blood moon, glittering stars

As the moon passesthrough the Earth's shadow, our atmosphere will also absorb the bluer, short light wavelengths bouncing off the lunar surface,Hladiuksaid. The longer orange-red wavelengths will cut through, giving the moon a deep reddish appearance.

The gleaming sphere, known as a blood moon, will be surrounded by glittering stars and the planet Uranus, which are usually drowned out by the moon's bright glow.

Viewing a total lunar eclipse is generally quite memorable.Hladiukremembers seeing his first oneas a teen in 1975 with a couple oflocal astronomers.

"We were in their backyard in Winnipeg, a beautiful summer evening and the moon, you get this unbelievable orange glow in the sky," he said. "It just looks so unusual. Like, you know it's a full moon, it should be really bright, but it's not, and yet you can see stars all around it."

For those in the Calgary area, the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory is holdinga viewing on Jan. 20 from 8:30 to 11 p.m. MT.

The observatory encourages visiting stargazers to dress warmlyas it's on the top of a hillabout 30 kilometres southwest from the city's centre, at 201 Avenue West,Highway 22 South. The event will be cancelled if the night is too cloudy, but the group will post on its website if that's the case.

Take a good snap of the blood moon? Share your photos of Sunday's lunar eclipse by emailingcalgaryphotos@cbc.ca, sharing on theCBC Calgary Facebook pageor by tagging@CBCCalgaryon Instagram.

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