Riviera Maya, Q.R. — Planetariums around the state reported a full house as thousands showed up to witness the eclipse.
The network of planetariums of the Quintana Roo Council of Humanities, Sciences and Technologies (COQHCYT) had a full house reporting more than 4,000 people. Residents arrived to watch the solar eclipse through direct observation with the use of ISO 12312-2 certified lenses and telescopes with solar filters, as well as indirectly through transmission from Torreón, Coahuila.
Starting at 11:30 in the morning, people began to arrive at the state’s four planetariums. To provide support and advice, planetarium staff and COQHCYT, in addition to the science clubs, participated.
The Chetumal planetarium was attended by 900 attendees, where 500 ISO 12312-2 certified lenses and 24 telescopes with solar filters were available, as well as the support of 20 science clubs.
In Cancun, the largest influx was reported with 2,050 people, where an equal number of glasses and the installation of five telescopes with solar filters were distributed.
Meanwhile in Cozumel there were 669 attendees who were able to appreciate the astronomical phenomenon in 17 telescopes and half a thousand certified lenses, and in Playa del Carmen there were 517 people who witnessed this first solar eclipse through five telescopes.
The COQHCYT sent a team made up of astronomer Tania Martínez, Antonio Ríos and Karla Figueroa, to the official headquarters in the Torreón Planetarium in the state of Coahuila, to carry out a real-time transmission.
According to Governor Lexama, in Quintana Roo, the eclipse began in Chetumal at 12:19 PM, reached its maximum solar occultation (42%) at 1:32 PM and ended at 2:47 PM.
In Cancun, it began at 12:25 PM, with a maximum occultation of 46% at 1:41 and concluded at 2:55 PM. The solar eclipse occurs when the Moon aligns between the Sun and the Earth and hides the solar disk; Its approximate duration was 2 hours and 41 minutes.
The observation of this solar eclipse was carried out in the planetariums in a safe direct manner with ISO 12312-2 certified lenses, and telescopes with a solar filter; but also indirectly in the auditorium the live broadcast was made from Torreón, Coahuila. In addition, workshops were organized with educational activities, such as reflecting the eclipse with leaves on the floor.
