The University of Almería (UAL) has concluded a new edition of the summer course 'You too are an astronomer!'. The seminar, which was completely sold out, was co-directed by Antonio Manuel Puertas López, Professor of Applied Physics at UAL, and Jorge Iglesias Páramo, scientific researcher at IAA-CSIC and head of the Astronomy Group at the Calar Alto Observatory.
During the event, Jorge Iglesias delivered the lecture 'Eclipse: what a night that was', analyzing the national astronomical landscape in the short term. He highlighted the buzzword in Spain for the coming years: eclipses. "There will be two total and one annular," he stated, calling it "quite infrequent" for the Iberian Peninsula to experience three such significant eclipses in three consecutive years.
The total eclipses are scheduled for August 12, 2026, and August 2, 2027, while the annular eclipse will occur on January 26, 2028. Regarding visibility, the 2026 eclipse will cross the peninsula from Galicia and Asturias to the Balearic Islands. The total eclipse of 2027 will affect the Mediterranean coast, including locations in the province of Almería such as Cabo de Gata and Aguadulce, as well as the coasts of Málaga, Cádiz, Ceuta, and Melilla, although the main path will be over the sea.
Iglesias also used his presentation to raise awareness about ocular safety during these events. He warned that "one should never look directly at the sun, not even with regular sunglasses" and recommended the use of "certified glasses" for a safe eclipse viewing experience. He also suggested choosing locations with easy access due to the large public movements expected.
The workshop received a "phenomenal" review, reaffirming its status as a major summer attraction for UAL. The practical night sessions with the professional telescopes at the Calar Alto Observatory were once again the highlight of the event, with students extending the sessions due to the high level of interest.
