If you’re in certain parts of Canada and Ontario, you’ll get to see a rare celestial treat this weekend.
A partial solar eclipse will be visible in eastern Ontario and eastern Canada around sunrise on Saturday, March 29, producing a double sunrise and solar horns.
As the sun rises while the partial eclipse is underway, the silhouette of the moon will make the rising sun look like two separate “horns” emerging from the horizon, creating the illusion of a double sunrise, according to LiveScience.com.
The event comes just two weeks after a blood moon and lunar eclipse graced the skies in Ontario and Canada.
A partial solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the earth and the sun – but all three bodies are not perfectly lined up, as with a total solar eclipse.
Partial eclipses can last just over an hour depending on your location, according to NASA.
Who will see solar horn?
The super moon will align with the partial solar eclipse in the northern hemisphere, which will result in a rare crescent sun that look like horns in the sky, which is why the phenomenon is known as solar horns or devil’s horns.
The solar horns will be visible in Canada in southeastern Quebec and southwest New Brunswick.
“The phenomenon will be seen only between the St. Lawrence River estuary and the Bay of Fundy,” according to Space.com.
Who will see partial solar eclipse?
If you’re in the Nunavik region of Quebec, where 94 per cent of the sun will be blocked by the moon, you’ll get a great view.
Canada, the U.S., Greenland, and Iceland all have good locations to see the partial eclipse.
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland offer some of the best locations to view the eclipse, since they will experience almost 90 per cent sun coverage. This includes major cities such as Quebec City, Saint John and Halifax, which are good vantage points to see it, according to Saga Holidays.
Check TimeandDate.com to see if you’ll be able to see the partial solar eclipse from your area.
You can follow the path of the eclipse on Google Maps, too.
Path of the partial solar eclipse that will be able to be viewed from eastern Ontario and other parts of Canada on March 29.
If you live in much of Ontario, you won’t get a great look at this partial eclipse, though those in Ottawa, Cornwall, Belleville and Clarington will have a better view than most in the province.
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 a good view.
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.”
Protect your eyes
Make sure you’ve got proper eye protection if you’re planning to view the spectacle. A solar eclipse – even a partial one – can cause partial or complete blindness if viewed without appropriate gear, such as correctly rated eclipse glasses.
You may even be able to use your old eclipse glasses from last April’s total solar eclipse, provided they aren’t damaged.
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.”
You can make an eclipse projector to view the eclipse indirectly.
Check out the Canadian Space Agency for more information.
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