DILI, 09 february 2023 (TATOLI)-Vitor Lay, an academic and lecturer in Timor Lorosa’e University’s Basic Astronomy and Astrophysics Course, has urged the people to remain calm in the face of a hybrid solar eclipse that will occur on Thursday, April 20, 2023.
“We ask the public to stay calm about the hybrid solar eclipse phenomenon because it is a natural phenomenon that can distorted vision and alter color vision,” explained Vitor Lay to Tatoli at the UNTL Liceu Campus this wednesday.
He claims that the eclipse problem, which could occur on April 20, 2023, will be more visible in eastern places like Com (Lautém) and Beaço (Viqueque). As a result, he urged people to avoid looking at the sun with their naked eyes during the eclipse and instead use solar or astronomical filters.
Astronomical filters are telescope accessories made out of optical filters that amateur astronomers use to enhance the details of celestial objects for viewing and photographing.
“We can use sunglasses or an astronomical filter to filter light from the very bright sun onto Earth. This is due to the fall of the Moon’s shadow onto the Earth’s surface due to the blocking of the Sun’s rays from reaching the Earth by the Moon,” he said.
A solar eclipse, according to Lay, is an uncommon occurrence in the field of astronomy. A total solar eclipse may occur only when latitude and longitude are in the same location, which means the moon and earth are on the same line.
“We are grateful that a phenomenon like this is happening in our place because, with this incident, many scientists will come and explain again to the public about astronomy because this is something abstract and can be explained with existing instruments; we do not have specific and sufficient equipment for this phenomenon,” he said.
His party has made no plans to welcome the incident, but will invite students from the departments of Mathematics, Chemistry, and Geology to participate because this is an opportunity to learn.
As a result, he revealed that UNTL has only one 10 cm monocular optical telescope, which is exclusively used to observe the moon, and that a larger telescope is required to see more clearly.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Nelia Borges
