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Get outside this evening to see a total lunar eclipse

A mix of clear skies and cloud is forecast for the Lower Mainland Sunday night, meaning residents have a good chance of seeing the total lunar eclipse. Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse is safe to look at with the naked eye.
Total lunar eclipse
During totality, the moon will turn a copper-orange colour. Image: Gary Boyle

A mix of clear skies and cloud is forecast for the Lower Mainland Sunday night, meaning residents have a good chance of seeing the total lunar eclipse.

Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse is safe to look at with the naked eye. The sun, earth and moon will line up perfectly so that the moon slips into the earth’s shadow.

During totality, the moon will turn a copper-orange colour.

You won’t even have to stay up late, because the show conveniently begins at 7:34 p.m. Pacific Time when the moon creates a partial umbral eclipse by edging into earth’s shadow.

The moon will continue deeper into the shadow, and the total eclipse begins at 8:41 p.m. The greatest eclipse happens at 9:12 p.m., before the moon moves on.

The whole thing will be over by 10:51 p.m.