The Health Secretary of the state and the Yucatan Eclipse Committee 2023-2024 have called on the public to follow recommended measures for safely witnessing and preserving visual health during the annular solar eclipse that will be visible in the region on Saturday, October 14.
In a press conference, the Director of Prevention and Protection at the Health Secretary, Carlos Isaac Hernández Fuentes, and the Operational Coordinator of the Committee, Daniela Tarhuni Navarro, issued a series of suggestions for enjoying this astronomical event, which will begin at 9:45 a.m., reach its maximum point of visibility at 11:25 a.m., and conclude 9 minutes after 1 p.m.
They emphasized the importance of never directly observing the sun, as solar radiation can cause partial or permanent damage to your eyes. If you have special glasses for observing this natural spectacle, they should meet the ISO12312-2 standard, as they are the only ones that truly provide protection and allow direct observation for no more than 20 seconds at a time.
Tarhuni Navarro noted that regular sunglasses should not be used, as they are not designed for looking directly at the sun. It is also not effective to layer two or three pairs of sunglasses or to use smoked glass, photographic films, X-rays, aluminum foil, CDs, DVDs, or water reflections.
She also advised against looking through cell phones, cameras, video cameras, telescopes, binoculars, or other devices without the appropriate filter, even if you are wearing eclipse glasses. The solar rays passing through the lenses of these devices could damage the eclipse glasses’ filter and penetrate your eyes, causing serious injury.
The correct way to use eclipse glasses is to place them with your back to the sun, then turn around and not look directly at the sun for more than 20 seconds. Afterward, take several minutes to rest your eyes before repeating the process.
The Operational Coordinator of the Yucatan Eclipse Committee 2023-2024 emphasized that if you do not have certified glasses, you can still enjoy this phenomenon through indirect projections, such as the reflection of sunlight passing through the gaps in tree foliage, creating a grid with your fingers, reflecting the sun through a hole in cardboard or paper, or using a mirror to project the image onto a white wall.
It was noted that among the risks of directly observing the sun are decreased vision, altered perception of colors and shapes, the perception of a central black spot in the eye, increased frequency of eye surface pathologies, cataracts, and partial or total blindness.
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