How Manitobans can watch the upcoming lunar eclipse

The Earth's shadow falls across the full moon above Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, May 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

WINNIPEG -

People living in Manitoba can catch a relatively rare and spectacular sight overnight.

The longest partial lunar eclipse in nearly 600 years will take place shortly after 1 a.m. Friday.

“They’re uncommon enough, and they’re beautiful to watch,” said Scott Young, planetarium astronomer with the Manitoba Museum

Young said there are typically three to four lunar eclipses around the world every year, but what makes this eclipse special is that it will be visible from almost everywhere in North America.

“This is a good chance for Manitobans to get out and see it,” he said.

A lunar eclipse takes place when the Earth, sun and moon align in a way that causes the Earth to cast a shadow on the moon, making the moon appear reddish in colour.

Young said cloud coverage in your area will depend on whether people will be able to see the eclipse.

“So, we'll see the bright part of the moon at its normal brightness, which hopefully will punch through the clouds. But we'll see a shadow appearing across the moon and slowly devouring it over the course of an hour or so."

Young said the moon will be at its dimmest at around 3 a.m., before beginning to move out of the shadow. The entire eclipse is expected to last approximately three-and-a-half-hours.

He said, unlike a solar eclipse, you don’t need special equipment to be able to see the lunar eclipse or protect your eyes.

“If you do have binoculars or telescopes, you can use them, and they’re totally safe,” Young said.

Young said another lunar eclipse will take place in 2022.

-With files from CTV's Danton Unger and Tom Yun