Smoke from the Western wildfires has shrouded Quebec in a veil so thick that the Sun appears red, even high in the sky, to the delight of amateur astronomers. But precautions for observing it are still necessary, warn experts.
“It’s so impressive, it looks like an apocalyptic Blood Sun!” exclaims Nathalie Ouellette, an astrophysicist at the University of Montreal.
If the Sun adopts such a bright red color, it is because of the smoke particles that are currently enveloping Quebec and that are scattering the blue light. They thus essentially let through the red light, which reaches our eye, she explains.
The Moon has also adopted an orange hue over the last few nights. This tawny-coloured Moon and Sun have caused a stir on social media, particularly on the Facebook group of Amateur Astronomers of Quebec, where many photos have been shared since Wednesday evening.
Dominic Martel, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said the smoke is expected to linger in the province’s atmosphere Friday before being swept away Saturday, at least in southern Quebec, by the arrival of winds from the south.
PHOTO STÉPHANE CHARTIER, FACEBOOK, GROUP OF AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS OF QUEBEC
The Moon has also taken on an orange hue over the last few nights.
To be observed in moderation, and low on the horizon
While observing the Moon is of course safe, looking at the Sun with the naked eye remains dangerous for the retina, particularly when it is high in the sky.
“With a cell phone, there is no risk – other than melting the lens if it is plastic,” emphasizes Olivier Hernandez, director of the Planetarium. “But you should not look around your cell phone with your eye!”
But when the sun is low on the horizon, in the early morning or at dusk, “there is a much thicker atmosphere, because of all this smoke, so let’s say it’s a little safer than usual,” says Nathalie Ouellette.
The expert stresses that you have to be careful and not stare at it for long minutes. But if it is very red and close to the horizon, “you can take a few glances at it,” she adds.
Sunspots in sight
In addition to its bright red color, the Sun currently has some peculiarities: small black spots can be seen on its surface. And no, it is neither Mercury nor Venus passing in front of it, but sunspots, witnesses to its strong solar activity.
“In fact, these are the sunspots that cause the flares that are currently causing the northern lights,” the researcher points out. “You still have to have a lynx’s eye to see these spots without magnification, but you can still see this kind of detail since the Sun is less dazzling than usual at the moment,” she adds.
With or without smoke, it is also possible to observe these sunspots present on the surface of the Sun, without danger, using eclipse glasses.