Belizeans Marvel at Annular Solar Eclipse

Over the weekend a rare celestial event had the attention of Belizeans and many residents of South and Central America.  The skies darkened mid-morning on Saturday, as the moon passed between the earth and the sun creating an annular solar eclipse. The sun was not completely covered during the eclipse, and at its height produced a display called the ring of fire. To mark the occasion the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology (MOESCST), held events at various parts of the county, where people could watch the eclipse and be educated on the event.  One of the major features of the watch event in Belize City was the Maya cultural displays, which included a pok ta pok ballgame exhibition and a sacred fire demonstration by cultural advocate, Felicita Cantun. Cantun spoke with Love news about some of the cultural beliefs surrounding the eclipse.

Leading up to the eclipse, the MOECEST and the Ministry of Health and Wellness had been issuing warnings to Belizeans to refrain from looking directly at the sun during the eclipse, as the radiation from the sun could cause eye damage.