Last Wednesday (the 12th), most of Spain was covered by a total solar eclipse, marking the first such event on the country's mainland in over 120 years. A group of astronomy enthusiasts and astrophotographers from Brazil traveled thousands of kilometers to witness one of the most breathtaking natural spectacles.
In the Olhar Espacial program on Friday (the 14th), experienced 'eclipse hunter' Marcelo Domingues shared details of this expedition. He highlighted the logistical aspects, operational unforeseen circumstances, and strong emotions felt while observing the alignment of the Sun, Moon, and Earth.
As a member of the Astronomical Club of Brasília and the Brazilian Meteor Monitoring Network (BRAMON), Domingues has dedicated two decades of global travel solely to observing solar eclipses; his journey in this field began in his home country. He recalled that in 2006, they visited Natal in Rio Grande do Norte state, where a group of Brazilians from across the country gathered to see the sunrise eclipse. At that time, the Sun was partially eclipsed at an altitude of about five to six degrees, whereas this time, 20 years later, the opposite occurred—the Sun was setting.
In total, Domingues has observed 10 total solar eclipses and three annular ones (known as the 'Ring of Fire'). According to him, his wife Isabel has witnessed seven such events, which could make her the most frequent solar eclipse observer among Brazilian women worldwide.
The specialist informed Olhar Digital after the program that this eclipse was very special because it occurred very close to the horizon. Usually, eclipses can be observed higher in the sky, but this happened during sunset. This was ideal for photography as it allowed for compositions featuring castles, fields, churches, and other ground objects.
Preparation for observing the eclipse in Spanish territory began about a year in advance. Planning included virtual mapping to locate castles, viewpoints, and rural areas suitable for photography, considering that the total phase would occur when the 'star king' was very close to the horizon line.
Domingues told the program that after a personal assessment of options the day before the event, the group chose a sunflower field in the municipality of Castroheriz, near the historic church of Nossa Senhora del Manzano. Nevertheless, despite the organized infrastructure, the recording session was marked by technical and human unforeseen circumstances.
The attempt to use automation for focusing during the actual observation encountered execution errors. According to the astronomer, two cameras that were supposed to be computer-controlled malfunctioned. One was not aimed correctly at the Sun, and the other, due to incorrect settings, produced underexposed images. Furthermore, one person walked in front of the camera, damaging the landscape footage of the sunflowers.