Watch the video above: North America will be treated to a total lunar eclipse Monday night.
TORONTO – If you want to see the total lunar eclipse that will take place overnight Monday into Tuesday, you’d better be prepared for a late night.
Lunar eclipses occur when the moon passes through the shadow of Earth cast by the sun.
READ MORE: Total lunar eclipse visible across Canada this week
There are several phases to a lunar eclipse: the penumbral phase — when Earth blocks part of the sun’s rays — the partial eclipse, and then the total phase.
The penumbral phase isn’t visible to the naked eye; it’s when the moon begins to pass into Earth’s shadow that things begin to get interesting, as the bright moon begins to darken.
When the entire moon is in the shadow, the moon doesn’t disappear entirely, but rather turns a reddish colour due to the light scattering through Earth’s atmosphere.
Unlike solar eclipses, which are brief, total lunar eclipses last for hours. So there’s no real rush to run out and catch it.
The real trick is hoping that the weather cooperates. Right across the country, it looks like we will be battling the clouds Monday night.
So, when does all the action begin?
| City | Partial eclipse begins | Total eclipse begins | Total eclipse ends | Partial eclipse ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver, Victoria | 10:58 p.m | 11:07 p.m | 12:25 a.m | 1:33 a.m |
| Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon | 11:58 p.m. | 12:07 a.m. | 1:25 a.m. | 2:33 a.m. |
| Winnipeg | 12:58 a.m. | 1:07 a.m. | 2:25 a.m. | 3:33 a.m. |
| Toronto, Montreal | 01:58 a.m. | 2:07 a.m. | 3:25 a.m. | 4:33 a.m. |
| Halifax | 2:58 a.m. | 3:07 a.m. | 4:25 a.m. | Not visible (moon has set) |
Correction: An earlier version of the story provided the incorrect times for Regina and Saskatchewan.
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