How Manitobans can see the ‘Blood Moon’ tonight

Planetarium astronomer Scott Young talks about the blood moon, what it is, and how Manitobans can catch a glimpse.

A chance to catch a glimpse of a lunar eclipse is coming tonight—no special tools or protection required.

The phenomenon is known as a ‘Blood Moon,and it’s expected to be visible on Thursday night and Friday morning.

Planetarium astronomer Scott Young described it as a “fascinating event,” where over the course of a few hours the moon turns “blood red.”

“It’s great because it’s not one of those events where you need special eye protection or special gear,” he said in an interview with CTV Morning Live on Thursday.

“And you don’t have to be at a certain spot at a certain time. It’s pretty much everybody in North America will get a chance to see this.”

Young explained a lunar eclipse occurs when the moon lines up with the earth’s shadow.

He added that during totality, which will take place around 1:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. on Friday, is when the moon will appear most red. However, the hour before and after totality is when you’ll see the most motion of the earth’s shadow.

The eclipse will be visible anywhere you can see the moon; no protective gear is needed.

“If you have a pair of binoculars, that’s the best instrument to watch this with, or just with your regular eyes,” Young said.

The Manitoba Museum will also be live streaming the lunar eclipse online.

• With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagacé.