This Monday, August 21, a solar eclipse will occur, a rare and amazing phenomenon that many people in the United States will be able to see it as a total eclipse while in Costa Rica we will only be able to see it as a partial solar eclipse.

The phenomenon will begin at around noon and the maximum point will be reached at close to 1:17 p.m. and finalizing at 2:22 p.m. Unfortunately, according to the National Meteorological Institute the weather conditions on Monday will be partially cloudy in most of the Costa Rican territory, condition that may affect the visibility of the phenomenon. The best places to see the eclipse are the Central Valley and the Pacific.

The health authorities in Costa Rica have made several recommendations to be able to enjoy this event without any risks:
• Do not look at the eclipse directly and without protection since it can cause serious damage to your eye sight.
• Do not use homemade filters or regular sunglasses, filters must be ISO 12312-2 certified and be less than three years old.
• Cameras, telescopes or binoculars must have an adequate filter, using them without filters can hurt your eyes.
• Experts actually recommend watching one of the many live feeds (NASA, NatGeo) that will be shown in television or online.
If you are looking for places to go see the eclipse in Costa Rica here are some options:
• The San José Planetarium in the City of Investigation of the University of Costa Rica will have activities starting at 11 a.m. with conferences and Q/A sessions followed by the live transmission of the total eclipse from the U.S.A. . You can reserve a spot by calling 2511-2580
• The Physics School of the Costa Rica Technology Institute will also offer several activities starting at 11:20 a.m. with experts that will provide information on the phenomenon. They will have specialized observation tools and screens to enjoy this phenomenon to the max.