Someone call the 5th dimension – the band I mean, because 2024 is the dawn of the age of Aquarius!
Whatever that may mean to you, this year comes with a few exciting celestial events. With Halifax known for the overcast that tends to accompany full moons, you may be in for so much more this year as every eclipse will be visible from Atlantic Canada.
March 24th Partial Lunar Eclipse
This event will see most of the Moon eclipsed over all of North America with the peak happening just after 4am on March 25th
April 8th Total Solar Eclipse
A Lunar Eclipse will always be accompanied by a Solar eclipse, and this one is quite extraordinary. Complete coverage will be seen for a number of Canadians, particularly in New Brunswick. Halifax will see almost total coverage but not 100%. The peak of the eclipse in Nova Scotia will happen at 4:30pm.
June 29th Planetary alignment – Saturn steals the show
Saturn will be visible in the night sky from June well into September. At its peak visibility, you will be able to spot its rings faintly without a telescope. At the end of June, Saturn will join the Moon, Mars and Jupiter in a straight alignment for a beautifully coordinated celestial view.
August 19th Blue Supermoon
While blue Moons typically occur once every two to three years, we’ve had one every year since 2018 — excluding 2022 — and this year is no exception. August’s blue Moon is classified as a seasonal blue Moon as we typically see three full Moons in a season however this one is the third in 4 full Moons happening during the summer months. Though the moon will be at its peak at 3:30pm, this Supermoon will still be visible well into the evening.
September 17th Lunar Eclipse
A second penumbral Lunar Eclipse will accompany the Supermoon in September and will also be visible from Atlantic Canada. You won’t have to stay up too late as this eclipse peaks at 11:45pm
