Saskatchewan residents looked to the skies. Some saw mostly clouds
Crowds of people across Saskatchewan were outside on Monday hoping to catch a glimpse of the rare celestial spectacle that made news across the continent.
Depending on where you were in the province, how much of the solar eclipse you got to see varied – but the excitement was evident everywhere.
When Loretta Iris heard her birthday coincided with the solar eclipse, she wanted to mark the day in a special way.
“I thought it’d be fun to celebrate my birthday with other people,” Iris told CTV News.
In Saskatoon, the clouds hampered her ability to see the eclipse, but that didn’t stop her unique celebration.
“It’s exciting. It’s happening around the world. I love these things where they’re global events where we can stop and pause and be together,” she said.
In Regina, the clear skies meant optimal viewing of the partial eclipse.
(GarethDillistone/CTVNews)
“We’ll see the moon move in front of the sun and cover about 41 per cent of it in Regina and Saskatoon 45 per cent,” said Kevin Fenwick, with the Royal Astronomical Association of Canada.
In some parts of North America, like in Mexico, it was a total eclipse, meaning brief darkness. In our province, there was still enough sunshine that it didn’t seem darker.
“If you’ve got proper eye protection and you look at it through those glasses, it will look like Pac man took a chunk out of the sun as the moon moves in front of the sun,” Fenwick said.
Saskatoon eclipse watchers weren’t deterred by the clouds, judging by those gathered at the University of Saskatchewan observatory.
“The weather is your enemy sometimes and you just get used to it but we still have people asking questions and answering questions and hopefully getting some interest stirred up in astronomy and astronomical events,” said Brent Burlingham, president of the Royal Astronomical Association of Canada in Saskatoon.
Stacey Neudorf said it was a great way to teach her daughter about the universe.
“I think it’s a great learning experience for everyone and I’m excited to show her the telescope, and show her more about the universe,” she said.
Outside the Saskatoon observatory around 1:30 p.m., there was a glimmer of hope when the clouds broke up a bit.
All eyes turned skyward to get a glimpse of the eclipse through the clouds.
It wasn’t much, but it was enough to make the wait worth it.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
DEVELOPING Trump trial arrives at a pivotal moment: Star witness Michael Cohen is poised to take the stand
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
India's mammoth election is more than halfway done as millions begin voting in fourth round
Millions of Indians across 96 constituencies began casting their ballots on Monday as the country's gigantic, six-week-long election edges past its halfway mark. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third straight term with an eye on winning a supermajority in Parliament.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Man fatally 'slashed in the neck' in downtown Toronto, suspect outstanding
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.