Skywatchers who were already treated to a lunar eclipse earlier in the month have something else to look forward to this weekend.
A partial solar eclipse will be visible for parts of Ontario and Eastern Canada during the early morning hours of March 29.
Partial solar eclipses occur when the moon travels between the sun and Earth but don’t line up perfectly — as is the case with a total solar eclipse. Some Canadians were able to view a total solar eclipse last April.
If you live in Ottawa, Cornwall, Belleville and Clarington, you’ll have the best view of the partial solar eclipse in Ontario.
Who will be able to see the partial solar eclipse?
The partial solar eclipse is expected to start just shortly after sunrise on March 29.
Rachel Ward-Maxwell, researcher-programmer of astronomy and space sciences at the Ontario Science Centre, said people in northeastern Canada, parts of eastern Ontario, Quebec, the Atlantic Provinces, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories will all get to see it.
Ward-Maxwell said in Ottawa there will be about a 20 to 30 per cent coverage of the sun.
“The Atlantic Provinces will have the best view and so will Nunavut as well,” she said. “They’ll have close to 90 per cent coverage.”
Ontarians living in the Toronto area and north of Toronto in areas such as Barrie and Muskoka region won’t really get to see this partial solar eclipse.
In Ottawa and Cornwall, the partial solar eclipse is expected to start around 5:30 a.m. — with the maximum coverage just before 7 a.m. on March 29.
In Peterborough, it will begin just before 6:59 a.m. and reach the maximum at 7:02 a.m. It’ll only last about 12 minutes total in Peterborough — so you need to be ready.
In Belleville and Clarington, it’ll begin around 5:30 a.m. and reach its maximum around 7 a.m.
Check out the interactive map on TimeandDate.com see where the partial eclipse will be visible.
Path of the partial solar eclipse that will be able to be viewed from eastern Ontario and other parts of Canada on March 29.
Proper eye protection is needed at all times during a partial solar eclipse
During any solar eclipse, proper eye protection is needed.
The Canada Space Agency (CSA) says it’s crucial to wear special glasses with filters designed for eclipse watching (ISO 12312-2 international standard) to prevent eye damage.
“Regular sunglasses will not protect your eyes sufficiently,” the CSA warns. “When watching a partial solar eclipse, proper eye protection is required at all times.”
Proper eye protection must be worn at all times during a partial solar eclipse.
Make an eclipse projector
You can make an eclipse projector to view the eclipse indirectly. Ward-Maxwell said this activity is perfect for kids — especially if they’re not reliably able to keep the sun protection on their eyes.
You can watch a solar eclipse through an eclipse projector.
Check out the Canadian Space Agency for more information about solar eclipses.
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