Centretown residents only have to look skyward tonight to catch a glimpse of a spectacular display of not one, but two lunar events.
A supermoon will coincide with a lunar eclipse, a rare occurrence that has not been seen for 30 years, and may not happen again for another 18 years.
A supermoon, while it may sound exciting, simply means the moon will pass the earth at the closest distance in its orbit, which is not an exact circle.
The eclipse portion of the combination will be the more dramatic of the two. A total lunar eclipse turns the moon to a red-orange colour, hence the nickname a Blood Moon.
Because the moon will be passing through Earth’s shadow and not vice versa, a lunar eclipse is safe to watch with the naked eye, and can be enjoyed from the comfort of your porch.
The spectacle will start around 8 p.m. in Ottawa, while the total eclipse will begin around 10 p.m., and should last an hour and a half. The entire eclipse will finish at around 1:30 a.m.
Full Moon Yoga will take place tonight at Lansdowne on the great lawn, free, at 8 p.m., for anyone who’d like to enjoy some late night stretching under the lunar display.