Maritimers of all ages turned their eyes to the sky Monday to witness the first partial solar eclipse in nearly 30 years.
Viewing parties were held in Halifax at the Discovery Centre and Saint Mary’s University to take in the cosmic event.
“Say for instance we have an eclipse in Halifax. We wouldn't get another opportunity for about 375 years, that's an average,” says Wayne Harasimovitch of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. “You'll see the partial eclipse, that's no problem. But the actual totality, every 375 years.”
A solar eclipse happens when the moon passes directly between the sun and earth, casting its shadow down on earth's surface.
The only place in Canada where it was nearly a total eclipse was in Victoria where the sun was 90 per cent covered. Maritimers were able to view a partial eclipse with about 50 per cent of the sun covered.
Because the eclipse is so rare, Monday’s eclipse was a popular occasion.
“These types of events bring us together,” says Harasimovitch. “There's celebration that goes on for days and days prior to a total eclipse because it's so awe-inspiring.”
Many families came out to watch the eclipse together and create some memories. Spectator Tej Pulakunta says it’s events like this that make lasting family memories.
“There was a meteor shower once and I was in med school. I was taking my exams the next day and the previous night I went out to watch the shower, so I can't forget. This is something I will remember forever,” says Pulakunta.
For the astronomers in the crowd, the eclipse is a chance to teach kids and their parents a bit more about the night sky.
“I like to see these because you get to see the moon moving,” says Curt Nason of the Saint John Astronomy Club. “The moon’s moving at about 35 kilometres an hour, but you really don’t noice it.”
In Saint John, Kathy Keith arrived early for an event she had been waiting for for months.
“You get to appreciate that we're just a small speck in the universe when you look up there,"she says.
Eclipse watcher Phillip Webb says Maritimers should be counting their blessings.
"There's no travel involved. I came less than a kilometre and look at the weather, everything is a matter of luck and today we've got good weather," Webb says.
Precautions were taken at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport prior to the eclipse.
"Our health and safety group has advised airport authority employees who will be working airside to take proper precautions, but operationally, we’re not expecting the eclipse to have any issue," says airport spokesperson Ashley Gallant.
For the next major celestial event of this kind, sky watchers will be flying to New Brunswick to see the total eclipse of the sun. That's going to happen in April of 2024.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Emily Baron Cadloff, Kelland Sundahl and Mike Cameron.
