WILLEMSTAD - This Saturday, October 14th, there will be what's called an annular solar eclipse, but on Curaçao, it will only be visible as a partial solar eclipse. In this case, nearly 61% of the sun will be covered by the moon at the maximum point of this eclipse.
An annular eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly in front of the sun, blocking the view of the sun, either partially or completely. The last time that Curaçao experienced this phenomenon was in 1998.
On February 26, 1998, the people and many visitors experienced a total solar eclipse. This is something that most people can only experience once in their lives if they are lucky. The day started with a lot of clouds, but around noon, almost all the clouds dispersed, and Curaçao could prepare for the moment when the moon would start covering the sun. The beginning of the partial part of the eclipse happened at 12:40, and gradually more and more of the sun was covered by the moon. The peak of this total eclipse occurred at 14:12 and lasted for over two and a half minutes in Watamula and its surroundings. Further up, the duration of the totality was shorter. When the sun began to reappear after 14:14, everyone had to quickly put on their special eclipse glasses to protect their eyes from the intense and potentially dangerous rays of the sun. Just over an hour later, at 15:37, the sun was shining as usual, bringing an end to this remarkable phenomenon, which almost everyone would remember for the rest of their lives.
This Saturday, on October 14th, the eclipse will start at 12:47 PM on Curaçao, and it will reach its maximum point at 2:30 PM (half past two). At that moment, nearly 61% of the sun will be covered by the moon. This phenomenon will end at 4:05 PM, which is five minutes past four in the afternoon.
Safety is of utmost importance during this event! The partial solar eclipse is a spectacular wonder, but it's extremely dangerous to look at directly. We urge everyone who wants to witness the partial solar eclipse to wear only ISO certified eclipse glasses specifically designed for such events. It is also recommended to replace old eclipse glasses that have been used in the past.