A partial solar eclipse could be seen in Canada today; here’s when and where to watch it

Look up, Canada! A Northern Hemisphere solar eclipse is happening today, and it could be partially visible across the country if the weather allows it. 

A total solar eclipse will be mostly visible across Europe on Wednesday afternoon, including in Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, Spain, and Portugal. 

Although Canada won’t see the total eclipse, the country won’t be completely left out of the astronomical event. A partial eclipse will also be experienced in other parts of the Northern Hemisphere, including most of Canada, parts of the U.S., and northwestern Africa. 

When and where to watch it

According to The Weather Network, the event will be mostly visible in the northeast part of Canada, but residents in other areas might also catch a glimpse of it. On the other hand, those in southwestern British Columbia, including Vancouver, will completely miss it. 

In Toronto, residents will see an eight per cent coverage, with the partial eclipse beginning at 12:55 p.m., peaking at 1:40 p.m., and ending at 2:23 p.m., as revealed by NASA. 

Those in Montreal could see 18 per cent of coverage, with the event beginning at 12:50 p.m., peaking at 1:45 p.m. and ending at 2:38 p.m. 

In Winnipeg, residents will see the event earlier, beginning at 11:25 a.m., peaking at 12:02 p.m., and ending at 12:40 p.m., but it will be only five per cent visible. 

In Halifax, the event will be 31 per cent visible, starting at 1:58 p.m., peaking at 3 p.m. and ending at 3:58 p.m.

The city that will see the event more clearly will be St. John’s in Newfoundland and Labrador, with 53 per cent of visibility. The eclipse will begin at 2:23 p.m., peak at 3:35 p.m., and end at 4:37 p.m.

For those who won’t be in those cities or who would like to catch a glimpse of the total solar eclipse, NASA will be broadcasting the event on its website, starting at 12:15 p.m. The livestream will also be available on Netflix, Amazon Prime, X, and NASA+.

How to safely watch the eclipse

Although a partial eclipse can be exciting to see, NASA warns residents that directly looking at it without protection can cause serious eye injuries. 

When watching the event directly, residents should always use safe solar viewing glasses or a safe handheld solar viewer that complies with the ISO 12312-2 international standard. Wearing regular sunglasses, no matter how dark they are, is not an appropriate protective measure. 

Viewers should also not look at the sun through a telescope, binoculars, or camera lens, even while wearing safe solar viewing glasses, as the concentrated solar rays could burn through the filter. In this case, a special-purpose solar filter must be attached to the lens, binoculars or telescope for safe viewing. 

Those who can’t access safe solar viewing devices can also observe the event indirectly. One way to do so, as advised by NASA, is to use a pinhole projector, which can project the sun’s image onto a surface. Tree leaves can act as natural pinholes to project the moon’s shape. 

What is a solar eclipse?

Solar eclipses happen when the sun, the moon, and Earth are aligned, providing a unique view of either the sun or the moon. During the event, the moon passes between the sun and Earth, blocking the sun’s light in some areas of the planet for a certain amount of time. 

During a total solar eclipse, the moon completely blocks the sunlight for a period, making the sky dark as if it were dawn or dusk. This is the only eclipse in which viewers can remove their protective glasses briefly when the moon completely blocks the sun. 

However, during a partial solar eclipse, such as the one visible in Canada today, the moon passes between the sun and Earth, but they are not perfectly aligned, leaving only part of the sun covered. 

According to The Weather Network, given the brightness of the sun, those who don’t stop to observe the event will not notice it happening. 

Will the weather cooperate? 

With the event only partially visible in Canada, clear skies can make a big difference in whether residents are able to watch the eclipse or not. 

However, luck seems not to be cooperating with Toronto residents who want to see the eclipse, with rain and thunderstorms in the forecast for Wednesday. 

According to Environment Canada’s forecast, the city could see thunderstorms and rain starting as early as noon and extending into the night. Under these conditions, it might be difficult to observe the eclipse in the city. 

Very similar conditions are expected in Montreal, which could also see thunderstorms on Wednesday. 

Viewers in Winnipeg and Halifax have higher chances to see the event, as forecasts indicate clear, sunny skies this afternoon. 

Despite having 53 per cent of visibility on their side, St. John’s forecasts indicate a mix of sun and cloud on Wednesday.