Cubans view eclipse with homemade instruments

HAVANA, Cuba (Reuters) — Dozens of Cubans gathered in the main plaza of Old Havana on Monday (August 21) to watch a rare partial solar eclipse cross the country.

Many observers brought their own homemade instruments to view the eclipse’ progress.

Abel Rodriguez built a box based on a YouTube tutorial that followed the projection of the eclipse.

He said that special glasses to protect the eyes were hard to come by, forcing him to get innovative.

Meanwhile, the Havana Planetarium set up one of its telescopes in the plaza.

Specialist Francisco Gonzalez explained that he also had to arrange the instrument to project the eclipse on a screen.

The last total solar eclipse seen in Cuba occurred on July 29, 1878. The next will take place in 2132.