Deborah Carter and Stephen O’Meara traveled especially from Barcelona, where they live, to witness a total eclipse next Thursday, in the far eastern part of Timor-Leste, a phenomenon that they say is a “spiritual” and magical experience. .
The couple introduce themselves as ‘umbraphiles’, a term in English that literally means “shadow lover” and that designates those who ‘chasing eclipses’ around the world: each has seen twelve, in points as diverse as the Arctic Circle, Zambia , or the Cook Islands.
“I go where the eclipses happen, wherever. The first total eclipse I saw was in 2011, in Zambia. I had no idea what it would be like, but when it happened I started crying. I had never felt anything like this”, says Lusa Deborah Carter, who landed in Dili today.
“It was something spiritual for me. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. I swore that day that I would see as many total eclipses as possible. And at the same time have the opportunity to visit a new country, ”she explains.
Thursday’s hybrid solar eclipse, the rarest phenomenon of its kind, will be visible in a remote area of Australia, at sea, in Papua New Guinea and in eastern Timor-Leste, the option the couple ended up choosing.
“When we told our friends that we were coming to Timor-Leste, some had to look for it on the map. They didn’t even know where it was. That’s why it’s also good to come here, support the local economy, meet new people, new experiences and feel the impact of another total eclipse”, reinforces Stephen O’Meara.
Both say it’s hard to explain the feeling of witnessing a total eclipse, comparing it to a “biblical” moment, a moment when you “look into the eyes of God” or are “in touch with everything, with the universe.” .
“Only when you see it are you able to answer that question. There is nothing you can see in life like this, with being on the path of fulfillment. And here we have 1.17 minutes to look into the eyes of God”, says O. ‘Meara.
“It’s impossible to explain, the feeling, the impact. When the moon rises, it completely covers the sun and we can look at the filaments of the circle, as if they were fingers sticking out of this black circle. In that brief moment, we feel part of the whole. A black circle with wings of light. It’s absolutely beautiful, the most beautiful thing you can experience,” adds Carter.
The couple will leave on Wednesday for the Com area, east of Baucau, one of the regions where the largest concentrations of specialists, curious people and visitors from various parts of the world are expected, as well as many residents of Timor-Leste.
Two of them, a Russian astronomer and his partner, who also arrived on Sunday for the phenomenon, left today for the area, explaining to Lusa that before starting to investigate the eclipse they had never heard of East Timor.
“Timor-Leste has to thank the sun and the moon for the promotion. There are many people who found out that Timor-Leste existed only because of the eclipse,” Semyon Zhmailov, 27, an astronomer who arrived in Dili, explained to Lusa. on Sunday
Zhmailov and his partner Daria Velikoselskaia, 27, a programmer, are just two of several astronomers, scientists, researchers and viewers who have chosen Timor-Leste to follow the rare phenomenon, which will also be visible in a remote region of Australia and in Papua. . New Guinea.
“Obviously we came for the eclipse, but we also want to see Timor-Leste and Indonesia. We are on a month long trip. I didn’t even know Timor-Leste existed,” she recalled.
“And such an eclipse is one of the most beautiful events we can see in the sky. It is a special moment. That’s why we wanted to come,” she said.
A special event that almost coincides with Daria Velikoselskaya’s birthday, which is April 19.
“That’s why it’s great to be able to come too,” he says, explaining that on Sunday “there were people with a lot of scientists” and even several “with t-shirts with things about astronomy.”
Semyon Zhmailov started researching the eclipse issue and planning the trip two years ago and considered that it would be easier to come to Timor-Leste than to neighboring countries.
“I read a lot about the history of Timor-Leste to prepare ourselves. And we are also going to Indonesia ”, she explains shortly before boarding the microlet, the small bus that will take the couple to the Baucau area. and Com, in the east of the country.
Zhmailov explains that this is a rare event and that it will be the first eclipse to follow, recalling that he has been interested in space since he was a child.
“Since I was a child I was interested in the stars and space. And that’s why I became an astronomer. I studied astronomy and I am an engineer. And now I participate in the manufacture of spacecraft, ”he said, explaining that he works from the development of the design, to its construction, and then to the analysis of the collected data.
The biggest project he has worked on has been a spectrometer that is part of the ExoMars project, an astrobiology program of the European Space Agency (ESA), in which Russia also participates, and which was suspended last year due to the war in Ukraine.
“The equipment that I helped develop is a spectrometer that will be on the Rover,” he said. “It will be used to study the atmosphere of Mars, its chemical composition, temperature and other data.”
In recent weeks, interest in the phenomenon has increased significantly, with various initiatives by the authorities to mark the moment, including information sessions, but also to warn about the risks to the eyes.
In the Timorese media and on social networks, repeated recommendations have been shared for the population to avoid looking at the sun -even with the glasses that have been sold for the event in recent weeks.
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports has already announced that schools will be closed on April 20.
Source: TSF
