These are the best sites to watch the long-awaited annular eclipse

Archaeological zones such as Uxmal Oxkintok, and Celestún, are the best-located sites for observing the annular solar eclipse on October 14. These places, according to Yucatecan astronomer Eddie Salazar Gamboa, will have the longest observation period of the entire “Ring of Fire”, greater than four minutes. The state of Campeche will have the same visibility.

On the other hand, he pointed out that in Cancún, Mérida, and Chichén Itzá, the phenomenon will be partial, without appreciating the formation of the respective solar ring, derived from the conjunction of the Sun, the Moon, and the Earth.

“The totality of the eclipse will begin at 12:21:55 p.m. and will end at 12:26:44 p.m., so the maximum will be at 12:24:20. Because it is an annular eclipse, the Moon will only hide 96.7 percent of the solar surface, an event that will last four minutes and 49 seconds,” explained Professor Salazar Gamboa.

The coordinator of the Astronomy Group “Hypatia de Alejandría” of the Technological Institute of Mérida, recalled that the previous annular solar eclipse in Mérida occurred on January 15, 1619, 404 years ago. The next one will happen on November 9, 2292, 269 years from now.

He commented that on October 14, the Moon will be in its new or new moon phase at 11:54 a.m. and totality will be at 11:59 a.m.

“In Campeche alone, totality will last four minutes and 49 seconds, while for Celestún it will be four minutes and 43 seconds; for Chetumal, four minutes and 25 seconds; Oxkintok, four minutes and 22 seconds; and Uxmal, four minutes and 13 seconds. The duration in Tekax and the archaeological zone of Chacmultún will be two minutes and 16 seconds, for Sisal it will be one minute and 32 seconds,” explained the renowned Yucatecan astronomer.

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