This Saturday there will be a partial solar eclipse known as the “black moon”. We tell you what it is, how you can see it and from where.
What is the “black moon” solar eclipse?
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on Earth, completely or partially blocking the Sun’s light in some areas.
During a partial eclipse, the Moon and Sun are not perfectly aligned, so the Moon does not completely cover the Sun.
This gives the Sun a crescent shape, or makes it appear as if the Sun has been “taken a bite,” depending on how much of the Sun is covered by the Moon.
a black moon it’s basically the second new moon of the month, something that rarely happens. It works similarly to a leap year. A lunar cycle usually takes regarding 29 days to complete, but our months are a bit longer.
So sometimes, regarding every 32 months, we have two full moons or two new moons. The second full moon in a month is called a blue moon, and the second new moon is called a black moon.
Where and at what time can you see the partial solar eclipse?
The astronomical phenomenon can be seen in Antarctica, the southern tip of South America, and the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. According to the Space portal, specializing in space issues, “the eclipse will begin at 2:45 p.m. EDT, when it will be visible for the first time to sky watchers in areas with visibility. The time of maximum eclipse will be at 4:41 p.m. EDT and the eclipse will end at 6:37 p.m. EDT.”
“As it sets in the west on the evening of April 30, the Sun will appear partially eclipsed to those with clear skies over Chile, Argentina, most of Uruguay, western Paraguay, southwestern Bolivia, southeastern of Peru and a small area of southwestern Brazil,” NASA says.
Solar eclipse times in Latin America
– Argentina: at 3:45 p.m., with the maximum point at 5:38 p.m.
– Chile: at 2:45 p.m., with the maximum point at 4:38 p.m.
– Colombia: at 1:45 p.m., with the maximum point at 3:38 p.m.
– States Joined: at 2:45 p.m., with the maximum point at 4:38 p.m.
– Mexico (CDMX): at 1:45 p.m., with the maximum point at 3:38 p.m.
– Peru: at 1:45 p.m., with the maximum point at 3:38 p.m.
– Venezuela: at 2:45 p.m., with the maximum point at 4:38 p.m.
How to safely view a partial eclipse?
It is never safe to look directly at the Sun without a safe solar filter, even if the Sun is completely or partially obscured. When viewing a partial solar eclipse, you must wear solar viewing or eclipse glasses for the entire eclipse if you want to look at the Sun. Solar viewing or eclipse glasses are NOT regular sunglasses; Ordinary sunglasses are not safe to see the sun.
If you don’t have solar or eclipse glasses, you can use an alternative indirect method, such as a pinhole projector. Pinhole projectors should not be used to look directly at the Sun, but to project sunlight onto a surface.
Fuente: NASA.
