Weather could hamper annular solar eclipse visibility in B.C. this weekend
Posted October 12, 2023 1:48 pm.
An annular solar eclipse is taking place over much of Earth’s western hemisphere this weekend, but whether or not people in B.C. will get to see it will all depend on the weather.
The celestial event will be visible in B.C. for about two-and-a-half hours on Saturday between 8:08 a.m. and 10:38 a.m., according to timeanddate.com. The website says the peak of the eclipse will be at 9:20 a.m.
According to the Canadian Space Agency, an annular eclipse happens when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, creating a ring of light around the moon’s shadow. It will not be a full solar eclipse, which is when the moon completely blocks the sun. The next total eclipse will happen on April 8, 2024.
However, with the forecast calling for showers throughout the day on Saturday, B.C.’s South Coast may not get to witness it.
Renderings from NASA show much of North, Central, and South America as being able to see the eclipse. The best spots in the continent to see the event include a belt of American cities including Eugene, Oregon, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and San Antonio, Texas. Countries like Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama will also have some of the best views of the event.
If the skies are clear enough to witness the eclipse, sky-gazers are being advised not to look directly at it. The Canadian government recommends wearing specially designed glasses to look at the eclipse or making your own viewing device using household objects.
