A "blood moon" will be visible over Southern Alberta early Tuesday morning, November 8, 2022. (File photo: Allnaturalbeth | Dreamstime.com)

By David Opinko

Lunar Eclipse

“Blood Moon” total lunar eclipse to be visible Tuesday morning

Nov 7, 2022 | 3:20 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Should the cloudy, snowy skies dissipate, Albertans will be able to see a total lunar eclipse overnight.

Lethbridge Astronomy Society President Tom Anderson says that the “blood moon” will start to emerge at approximately 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 8, 2022.

“Around 4:00 a.m. in the morning, it will reach its maximum,” says Anderson. “At that time, what typically happens is it turns a deep coppery-red, and they’re sometimes called blood moons for that reason.”

By 7:00 a.m., the eclipse will be all or mostly done.

Anderson explains that lunar eclipses happen when the sun and moon are on opposite ends of the Earth.

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“The sun’s rays, which are lighting up the moon’s face, are travelling through the Earth’s atmosphere, so you’re getting the effect of the refraction through the Earth’s atmosphere,” says Anderson, “Plus all the sun rises and sunsets that are happening all around the Earth are shining onto 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, says Anderson, is that the blood moon will be visible from almost anywhere in Southern Alberta. There is one section of the city where he likes to look at the moon, though.

“If you’re living on the west side, anywhere along the edge of the coulee, the University [of Lethbridge] grounds, they’re all excellent places to look at the moon,” says Anderson. “If you’re into photography, that can give you a really nice shot of the deep coppery blood moon over the cityscape.”

Anderson says most moon cycles are given names based on what is generally happening in nature at the time the event takes place. In this case, it is called a “beaver moon” because beavers are settling down for the winter.

There is no guarantee, however, that Southern Albertans will be able to see the beaver moon at all.

Environment Canada is forecasting periods of light snow in Lethbridge Monday evening, then partly cloudy with a 30% chance of flurries overnight. If the skies clear up, Anderson says people should be able to get a good glimpse of the eclipse.

While lunar eclipses happen every month or so, Anderson says total lunar eclipses occur approximately every two-and-a-half years.

The next one is expected to take place on March 14, 2025.