While Saskatchewan will be missing out on Wednesday’s partial solar eclipse, there is plenty for stargazers to be excited for in the near future. The partial solar eclipse slated to peak at around 10:50 a.m. CST on Aug. 12 will be most visible in Iceland and Spain. Samantha Lawler, associate professor of astronomy at the University of Regina, says those in Saskatchewan may be able to see something – but not much. “If you have safety glasses for it left over from the partial eclipse we had a couple years ago, get them out and take a look. But it’s gonna be a little underwhelming,” she noted. However, those looking up in the land of the living skies won’t be disappointed for long, as the province will still be treated by the annual Perseid meteor shower, set to peak overnight on Aug. 12-13. This year’s display will be aided by the new moon, with residents more likely to see shooting stars in the early morning hours rather than before midnight. “The Perseids should be really good this year because the skies will be so dark,” Lawler said. “There’s also a few planets that are up. Saturn and Mars are really easy to see in the morning sky.” The Perseids meteor shower comes as skies across the country have heavily featured aurora borealis, as the sun comes off of its solar maximum — part of its 11 year cycle. Additionally, those across the hemisphere will witness the upcoming lunar eclipse on Aug. 27 - which will feature 90 per cent coverage. Whereas a solar eclipse sees the moon either partially or totality block out the sun, projecting its shadow on the earth - a lunar eclipse sees the earth project its shadow on the moon. The is creates a dynamic celestial experience that changes year to year. “A solar eclipse is very spectacular, it’s really life changing. A lunar eclipse is just kind of freaky. Like the moon just looks weird,” Lawler laughed. “... Sometimes the moon looks kind of reddish. Sometimes it’s almost not there, except for maybe a little tiny corner. Sometimes it’s kind of bluish and every single time is a little bit different.” Lawler added the shadow cast onto the moon is dynamic given the earth’s atmosphere. “The weather and smoke and different things that are happening in Earth’s atmosphere affect what the the shadow looks like on the Moon, and so every every eclipse is is a little different,” she explained. Eclipse watch For the future, those in Saskatchewan can also look forward to a partial solar eclipse in 2029 and total solar eclipse in 2044. Even though its 18 years away, astronomy enthusiasts are already reserving spots in Cypress Hills to view the rare cosmic event. “The Saskatchewan Star Party ... happens in the Cypress Hills every year during the the new moon in August, and that is when this eclipse happens,” Lawler explained. “So for 2044, the path of totality actually passes right over the Saskatchewan Star Party site in the Cypress Hills, so it’s already scheduled. They usually only go one or two years out, but they’ve already got 2044 listed.” According to Lawler, late summer represents one of the best times for stargazing, especially in Saskatchewan. She encouraged people to get out and enjoy the weather. “In my opinion this is like one of the best times of year for for stargazing just because it’s nice out. It’s warm enough that you can just lay a blanket on the ground and lay out there and and look up. You don’t need to wear a snowsuit, so it’s nice,” she laughed. “And the nights are long enough now that you don’t have to stay up super, super late. Saskatchewan features two recognized dark sky preserves. One is Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park while the other is Grasslands National Park. Tourism Saskatchewan encourages residents to utilize a dark sky map app to find the perfect place to witness the Perseids meteor shower and any other celestial phenomena. Eclipse dates for Saskatchewan
