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If you’re a night owl or just love a good celestial show, you’ll want to keep your eyes on the sky this week. A total lunar eclipse is set to occur throughout Montrreal (and most of Quebec) from March 13 to 14, transforming the moon into a glowing red orb for a few stunning hours.
The best part? You don’t need special equipment to see it — just clear skies and a good viewing spot away from city lights.
Éclipse Québec has a countdown on its website, with the event kicking off on Thursday night at 11:57 p.m. ET — when the moon enters the penumbral phase. But the real show starts at 1:10 a.m. when it moves into Earth’s shadow and begins changing colour. The total eclipse, when the moon takes on a striking red hue, will last from 2:26 a.m. to 4:47 a.m., peaking at 3:31 a.m.
According to NASA, during a total lunar eclipse, the Earth moves directly between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow that should theoretically make the moon disappear. Instead, the moon glows red because Earth’s atmosphere filters sunlight, allowing only red and orange wavelengths to reach the lunar surface — similar to how the sky lights up at sunrise and sunset.
If you’re in Montreal, the eclipsed moon will be visible in the southwest sky, about 40° above the horizon, according to the Montreal Planetarium’s Astronomy Society. But you won’t need to be in any specific location to enjoy the event. As long as the weather cooperates, you’ll be able to see it from anywhere in Quebec with a clear, dark sky.
Luckily, current forecasts suggest mostly clear skies across much of the province on Thursday night, making for excellent viewing conditions.
And if that isn’t enough to satisfy your astronomy fix, there’s another celestial event on the horizon. A partial solar eclipse will take place on March 29, just a few weeks after the lunar eclipse. Visible at sunrise across most of Quebec, this one will be more pronounced in eastern regions like Saint-Fabien and Forestville, peaking around 6:24 a.m. and ending by 7:15 a.m.
Unlike a lunar eclipse, though, a solar eclipse can be dangerous to watch with the naked eye. If you plan to catch it, make sure to use certified eclipse glasses or a proper viewing device to protect your vision.
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