Today’s total solar eclipse, the most important astronomical event of the year, will be broadcast live in Romania by the public television TVR.

Apart from the fact that they will take part in the most publicized astral show, TVR viewers will benefit from the specialized commentary provided by Dumitru Prunariu, the only Romanian astronaut who traveled in space, and by Alexandru Mironov, an importance voice of the Romanian scientific literature, TVR said in a press release. Moreover, Catalin Beldea, the Romanian known as the “eclipse hunter” because he has never missed an eclipse in 12 years, will also be present in the TVR studio.

The maximum point of the eclipse (the total eclipse phase) will occur at 20:43, Romania time, and will last around 2 minutes and 24 seconds. TVR will broadcast live moments of the total solar eclipse between 19:22 and 22:09.

The eclipse will cross the United States from the West to the East, on a band with a length of 4000 km and a width of about 100 km. The team that will broadcast to TVR chose to observe the phenomenon from Casper, Wyoming state.

NASA also announced that viewers around the world will be provided a wealth of images captured before, during, and after the eclipse by 11 spacecraft, at least three NASA aircraft, more than 50 high-altitude balloons, and the astronauts aboard the International Space Station – each offering a unique vantage point for the celestial event. Find more information on the special NASA website here.

Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com