Anderson explains that lunar eclipses occur when the sun and moon are at opposite ends of the Earth.
“The sun’s rays, which illuminate the face of the moon, travel through the Earth’s atmosphere, so you get the effect of refraction through the Earth’s atmosphere,” says Anderson, “in addition to the sunrises and sunsets that happen around the Earth shine on the Moon. That’s kind of a magical concept.”
He adds that lunar eclipses can be safely viewed without any protective devices, unlike solar eclipses.
The good news, Anderson says, is that the blood moon will be visible from almost anywhere in southern Alberta. However, there is a section of the city where he likes to look at the moon.
“If you live on the west side, anywhere on the edge of the coulee, the University [of Lethbridge] lands, they’re all great places to look at the moon,” says Anderson. “If you’re into photography, this can give you a really nice shot of the deep copper blood moon over the cityscape.”
Anderson says most lunar cycles are named based on what is generally happening in nature at the time the event occurs. In this case, it’s called a “beaver moon” because the beavers are settling in for the winter.
There is no guarantee, however, that southern Alberta residents will be able to see the beaver moon.
Environment Canada is forecasting periods of light snow in Lethbridge Monday evening, then partly cloudy with a 30% chance of snow overnight. If the sky clears, Anderson says people should be able to see the eclipse well.
While lunar eclipses occur about every month, Anderson says total lunar eclipses occur about every two and a half years.
The next one is expected to take place on March 14, 2025.
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