'Galactic Shepherd' to watch eclipse from DIY observatory
In a tiny Spanish farming village, retired shepherd Joaquin Tapioles is preparing to watch next week's total solar eclipse from the observatory he built after being inspired by the mysteries of the skies as a boy.
In a Spanish farming village, retired shepherd Joaquin Tapioles is set to observe a total solar eclipse from an observatory he built himself. The eclipse, slated for 12 August, will be the first visible from the Iberian peninsula since 1912. Mr. Tapioles, 67, affectionately known as the "Galactic Shepherd," has constructed a rotating dome observatory in San Agustin del Pozo.
He operates a telescope he designed and assembled, utilizing a video game controller for precise tracking. The shepherd's interest in astronomy started as a child when he witnessed a meteor shower. Mr. Tapioles, who contributed to NASA's Deep Impact mission, invited family members to witness the eclipse, prioritizing their experience over his own viewing.
Eclipses occur when the Moon aligns between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow that dims daylight and reveals the Sun's corona.
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