Santo Domingo.- Today, April 8, a rare total solar eclipse will grace the skies, casting its shadow across North America, traversing Mexico, the United States, and Canada, as confirmed by the US space agency.
Residents of the Dominican Republic are prepared to witness this awe-inspiring celestial event, but when and how can they experience it?
This phenomenon, occurring when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, partially or completely obstructing sunlight, promises a unique spectacle in the Dominican sky.
However, the eclipse in the country will be partial, with only 9.6% of the Sun obscured. This means that observers in the Dominican Republic will not witness the Moon entirely covering the Sun; rather, only a segment of the solar disk will be momentarily concealed by the Moon’s shadow.
What time can this event be observed?
The total eclipse, where the Sun is entirely masked by the Moon, will commence on the Pacific coast of Mexico at 12:07 noon (local time).
In Santo Domingo, the partial solar eclipse will commence at 2:24 in the afternoon, reaching its maximum coverage at 3:13 in the afternoon, and concluding by 3:59 in the afternoon.
Safety precautions are crucial
Experts strongly recommend taking necessary safety measures to observe the eclipse, such as using special glasses or projection devices to shield eyes from the Sun’s intense radiation. Directly viewing the Sun during the partial eclipse phase can result in severe eye damage. Therefore, observers are urged to promptly don protective eyewear once even a sliver of sunlight re-emerges.