Solar eclipse in Tenerife

Heat wave 

The talk of the day on Tenerife and the other Canary Islands revolves mainly around how incredibly hot it is. We have been grappling with a scorching heatwave for quite some time. This, combined with the Calima (hot desert wind blowing Sahara sand towards our islands), makes it currently almost unbearably hot. So much so that schools are temporarily closed. Cooling off in the water and avoiding the sun are currently the best strategies. 

Ring of Fire 

Now that we're on the subject of the sun, here's an intriguing fact: on Saturday, October 14, 2023, the sun will temporarily disappear behind the moon, resulting in a solar eclipse. This time it's a particularly special one, a 'ring-shaped' solar eclipse, where the moon is farther from the Earth than during a total solar eclipse. As a result, the lunar disk appears smaller than that of the sun, creating a bright ring around the moon, also known as the Ring of Fire.

Where and what time? 

This fascinating solar eclipse is understandably not visible from every point on Earth. Fortunately, we have the privilege in Tenerife to witness a partial solar eclipse shortly before sunset, starting at 7:25 p.m. local time, just ten minutes before the sunset at 7:35 p.m.. This promises to be a spectacular sunset. I already have the camera ready in any case!

Attention!

It is well known that looking directly into the sun without eye protection is very harmful to the eyes. So, do not look directly at the sun. Unfortunately, eclipse glasses are not easily available, but here is an inexpensive tip to make a pinhole camera yourself... using a postcard!

Do-it-yourself pinhole camera: 

• Poke a small hole in the center of a postcard (readily available on our holiday island), using a sharp object . Try to keep the hole as small as possible and without ragged edges. 
• Hold the postcard in the sun with the white sheet of paper about 60 centimeters behind it. This way, you project the image of the sun onto the white paper. A safe and inexpensive way to view the solar eclipse. 

Mobile camera: 

• As the eclipse occurs just before sunset, and there is still quite a bit of Calima in the air, the sun at the time of the eclipse should not be too bright. Therefore it should be possible (of course, without directly looking into the sun!) to film or photograph the entire event.  

That's it for the latest news from scorching Tenerife. Oh, and don't forget to sign up for the Newsletter for all the fun and interesting updates!

Stay safe and ¡Hasta Pronto!