WELLINGTON COUNTY – A total solar eclipse, like the one coming April 8, has not been seen in eastern Ontario since 1925.
Orbax, a physicist and science communicator at the University of Guelph’s College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, says the upcoming eclipse marks a “legitimate once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
“The eclipse’s path cuts its way through eastern Ontario and eastern Canada for the first time since 1925, and this won’t happen again until 2144,” Orbax said.
“Near the centre of the path, like in Niagara Falls, you’ll experience 3.5 minutes of totality—complete blockage of the sun. If you’re near the edge, like in Hamilton, this will be closer to two minutes.”
In Ontario, the eclipse will start around 2pm EST and end around 4:30pm., with maximum coverage around 3:20pm.
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon aligns between the Earth and the sun, blocking our view of the sun completely and showing only its outermost atmosphere, or corona.
Although total eclipses are not necessarily rare, Orbax said viewing one in the same location is only possible every few hundred years.
Orbax recommends a few safety measures, like using fully approved eyewear. Many counterfeit offerings can be dangerous.
He recommends a list of approved sellers by the American Astronomical Society.
“Another interesting way to image the eclipse is to create a camera obscura, or a pinhole camera,” Orbax says. “And if you can’t make it to totality, then you should join us at the University of Guelph for a safe viewing experience.”
