On March 7, 1970, a bright dawn appeared here in Mexico. It started like any normal day at this time of year. However, something in the air indicated that it would be completely different. Urban traffic has dropped considerably. Many people, especially students and teachers, have had a day off. There was extraordinary calm.

As we progressed this Saturday morning, this clear calm subsided. The nervous emotion that results from waiting for something unusual begins to manifest. People rush to find cameras, lenses, special filters, smoked glasses, welding masks, temporary cardboard viewers, updated films, containers with water or anything that can help safely attend the most extraordinary event. Yes, they wanted to look at the sun through these elements to avoid the risk of damaging their vision. Many media have warned people not to look directly at the sun and many have taken these precautions.

Come quickly to Metate Peak! It's ten o'clock. Oh, it seems that the minutes before the big event happen very slowly for some, while others go too fast. Tension, impatience, curiosity and growing expectations are invading people. The long awaited moment finally arrives!

With perfect deadlines, performance begins in paradise. The sky, which was clear blue a few moments ago, turned gray. The green scene takes on a strange orange color, closer to purple. The temperature started to drop. Even animals are aware of the strange phenomenon that occurs in the sky. Growth. The dogs bark and howl, waste the bulls, fly to their nests, the chickens gather their little roosters.

Until a few moments ago, the sun appeared as an ideal circle. look now! There on your east side! A small place. Yes, the moon started to cross in front of it. Slowly, the moon continues to advance and now the sun seems to have bitten or pumped a piece of it. As the moon moves in front of the sun, the "piece of the dilemma" seems to be growing. The result is increased darkness on the floor.

Now the sun looks like half of the moon. Steadfast, the moon continues to advance until only a fragment of bright light is visible. The light continues to fade. It seems really late when the shadows move and cover the field. Strong winds shake trees that look like silhouettes in a dark landscape. Anxiety increases in animals. The sun disappears quickly. Now, only a very thin track is seen when the artists of this cosmic drama approach the climax of this incredible spectacle.

Finally, the performances culminate with grandeur! With the sun just behind the moon, the eclipse has reached its final stage. With astonishment, we witnessed the sunset and the sunset at noon! At the height of the eclipse, we noticed that it was colder. The complete darkness almost covers the Earth, and the moon is surrounded by a circle with only a strong illumination. It is the solar corona.

Suddenly, everything seems to freeze! Viewers hear short extracts from the audience. The field seems unreal, with silhouettes of people like statues. Mixed feelings in the air. The small visible light is similar to the reflection of the moon at night, although it is more intense. The stars can be seen easily now. The massive flame seems to come out of the sun and is completely covered by the black outline of the Earth's satellite, the Moon. In the distance, in all directions that we manage, we see light and a lot of light. It's like when the sun is about to rise in the morning, but the difference is that it happens around us.

Why an expected event

The total eclipse lasted approximately three and a half minutes. However, it was a much anticipated and expected event for many here. The reason is that the last total solar eclipse occurred in Mexico on September 10, 1923. So you understand why no one wanted to miss this drama in the sky.

Scientists, researchers and enthusiasts of astronomy, astrophysics and other related fields have found the best place to observe an eclipse. The specific point which would have been the ideal observation point is the city of Mealatualatán, in the state of Oaxaca, in Mexico, in particular the dead end a few kilometers from the city.

What made it an ideal place? Well, it's over 5,200 feet above sea level and its atmosphere is relatively free of clouds, dust, glare, smoke and heat currents. Therefore, months before the event, groups of scientists began to examine the observation sites. Scientific delegations from different countries participated.

People wishing to study include stray light from stars, modified magnetic fields, effects on cosmic radiation, effects on radio communication, and work on ultraviolet radiation. Weather and turbulence at sea will also be examined. Some aspects of Einstein's theory of relativity and the image of the solar halo and protrusions should also be tested. Mexican scientists, in particular, have studied the measurement of the ionosphere during an eclipse, the propagation of various radio waves, and the recording of static electricity.

People's reaction

It is interesting to note that people from different places and different levels of education responded to the eclipse. Great strides have been made in education through an ongoing campaign to free people from ignorance and superstition. However, some people believe that these natural events signal misfortunes or problems or that they negatively affect humans in one way or another. There are still cities where church bells ring during the eclipse, where people cross paths and kneel, demanding mercy from heaven. Older women in front of churches pray with the rosary. Pregnant women hang scissors and other amulets around their necks for fear that the eclipse will give birth to their babies.

In some societies, the eclipse will be a fight between the sun and the moon. People beat drums, cans, pots and other utensils with the idea of ​​helping the sun win the fight. Others, for fear of the unknown and the mysterious, remain motionless.

Astrologers are always there to take advantage of the gullible. They surround the event of Sufism to deceive the swindler. Witches, witches and others say what the eclipse should predict and what will happen next, depending on the location of the stars. Predictions were made, constellations were interpreted, and other subtle methods of gullible exploration were used. Oh yes, in Matawatlán, we saw "hippies" celebrating rituals and celebrations in honor of the sun.

Wait, the performance is not over yet! A wonderful "strip of round diamonds" known as Pelly Beads catches our eye. It consists of a series of bright lights when sunlight passes through the uneven surface of the moon. A bright glow that completes this view appears on the west side of the solar disk. This glow looks like a jewel attached to a ring and a small part of the solar circuit is again visible.

As the sun is released from the shadow of the moon, the hot rays of the sun shine again on Earth. The very short night ended. It's warmer and everything comes back to life. The phenomenon we have seen is truly exceptional. Its beauty and size are difficult to describe in words.

What is the eclipse?

An eclipse simply hides a celestial body that mediates another object. It can be total or partial. The total is when the hidden object is completely covered, as seen on March 7th. When a part is covered, it is annular (ring-shaped) or partial. The solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes in its orbit between the sun and the earth and its shadow falls on the earth below. The annular eclipse occurs when the moon is completely in front of the sun, but it is not large enough, due to its distance and position, to completely cover the sun. Leave a visible solar ring. There is never an annular eclipse of the moon, because the Earth's shadow cone is always large enough to cover the Moon when it is perfectly aligned with the Sun and the Earth.

Eclipses are natural events that occur regularly. They do not pose a threat and do not include disaster forecasts. It is a test of the immutable laws that govern the universe. They testify to the infinite divine wisdom that created and controlled all celestial bodies in the universe. Yes, they underline our smallness compared to the giant universe that surrounds us.