More than 2,000 people attended IPN to witness historic total solar eclipse

• The "Luis Enrique Erro" Planetarium served as the venue to enjoy the astronomical phenomenon of the decade

• Various activities were carried out including digital projections, guided tours, and telescope observation

With the presence of over two thousand individuals at the facilities of the "Luis Enrique Erro" Planetarium of the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), various scheduled activities were successfully conducted around the solar eclipse that occurred today in several parts of the country, considered the most significant astronomical event of the decade, which could be fully appreciated in states like Sinaloa, Durango, and Coahuila.

Children, youth, and adults attended the planetarium to witness this phenomenon, which was 70 percent visible in Mexico City and began at 10:55 a.m., reaching its peak at 12:14 p.m., and concluding at 1:30 p.m.

During the astronomical celebration, organized by the Directorate of Science and Technology Dissemination (DDCT) of the IPN, attendees enjoyed screenings such as Solaris: An Adventure in the Solar System; Two Little Pieces of Glass: The Wonderful Telescope; The secrets of the Sun; Mexica Archaeoastronomy, and Climate change.

Furthermore, tours were conducted in the Astronomy Hall, guided museum visits, and a live transmission of the eclipse coverage from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the United States, explained by the engineer from the "Tezozómoc" Museum Operations Department, Celestino Antonioli Ravetto.

Members of the Astronomical Society of the Escuela Superior de Ingeniería y Arquitectura (ESIA) Ticomán Unit guided visitors on the use of the planetarium's telescopes for eclipse observation.

The Directorate of Science and Technology Dissemination provided 114 special lenses (for a limited time) to the public who did not have the opportunity to acquire solar filters to observe the astronomical feast offered by the Sun and the Moon, which will not be visible in Mexico again until the year 2052.

Astronomer Wilder Chicana Nuncebay explained that solar eclipses are more frequent than commonly believed, but the shadow passes through places that are very difficult to access such as jungles, open sea, or deserts. The relevance of today's eclipse is that it was visible in heavily populated areas, allowing many people to witness it.

The astronomical event was an opportunity to deepen the understanding of celestial mechanics and solar physics, as well as the solar corona, which is normally invisible due to its brightness and whose temperature rises to almost a million degrees, much hotter than the surface of the Sun. It also allowed advancements in astronomical instrumentation and calibration.