The astrophysicist Pedro Machado warned, today, the use of certified glasses for the observation of the solar eclipse, on August 12, under penalty of serious eye injuries, which can be irreparable.
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21/07/2026
by
Lusa
O scientist and national commissioner for the eclipse of the Sun 2026 was in Bragança, today, where he addressed scientific discoveries and curiosities about this phenomenon and warned the care to be taken during the observation, which should not be "in continuous time", that is, "one should look for a few seconds and look away".
“If you look at the sun, you have to look with your glasses on. Anywhere, in the Algarve, Alentejo, in Tras-os-Montes (...) and even where there is the total eclipse is only when it stays at night that they can take off their glasses for 26 seconds», he said.
According to Pedro Machado, the glasses must be certified, leaving “only one part in a thousand of sunlight”, insufficient to cause eye lesions, and can be purchased at the Centro de Ciência Viva de Bragança, but also in pharmacies.
It also left the alert for the use of cameras, binoculars and telescopes with adequate protection for this purpose, for direct viewing. Otherwise, besides damaging the devices, it also causes serious damage to the retina.
"Be careful, period. There is no average care, there is not being careful or careful. Please be careful”, he said.
The eclipse of the sun happens when the Earth, the Moon and the Sun are aligned, and the Moon totally or partially hides the solar disk for a few moments. In Portugal, the last total eclipse took place in 1912.
Astrophysicist speaks of a “rare”, “fascinating” and “only in our lives”, phenomenon that “is worth watching”.
Only in the villages of Rio de Onor and Guadramil, in the municipality of Bragança, can be seen in its entirety, i.e., the Moon cover 100% the Sun. Still, it can be partially observed throughout the country and islands.
‘Being 99%, be 99.9% or 98% is almost the same. There is a small difference when you stay at night, which is only at one point, but there are some contingencies about this, there you see stars during the day, per night, it is very short, it is 26 seconds and eventually you will see the solar crown”, he stressed.
In addition to the darkness, other events, such as shadows, are expected in the shape of the sun, and wind. «The eclipse wind will be seen all over the country, the projection under the apertures, the solar disk, with the eclipse going on, will be seen in the whole country, even in the Azores and Madeira», he added.
In Portugal, the total eclipse will not happen again for more than 100 years. However, as early as next year this rare phenomenon can be seen in southern Spain and Tunisia.