Tuesday’s total solar eclipse has attracted tens of thousands of tourists across northern Chile.
The cosmic spectacle will begin at 10:24 a.m. local time Tuesday in the South Pacific before it sweeps along a 6,800-mile path toward Chile and Argentina, the only countries where stargazers will get the chance to revel in totality, though most of South America will be able to witness at least a partial eclipse, according to Space.com.
During a total solar eclipse, the moon completely blocks the sun, leaving a thin solar corona ring in the darkened sky. In a partial eclipse, the moon covers a portion of the sun, but the corona is not visible to the naked eye.
In La Serena, Chile, the total eclipse will begin at 4:38 p.m. local time and last about 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
If you're lucky enough to catch the solar event in person, check out our eclipse-watching guide here.
While folks in the United States (and anywhere else around the world) won't get to experience the sun's disappearing act from the ground, plenty of websites are hosting live broadcasts, including San Francisco's Exploratorium, which will stream views from the Cerro Tololo Observatory in Chile. You can catch the livestream, which will begin at 3:23 p.m. EST, on the Exploratorium's website, through their free app or at NASA TV .
Views of eclipse as seen from the Atacama Desert in Chile will be broadcast around 3:15 p.m. EST via the European Southern Observatory.
For eager North Americans itching for a redo of the Great American Eclipse of 2017, you'll have to wait until April 8, 2024. The 2024 spectacle will begin in Mexico, make its way through Texas to Maine and eventually end in Canada.
About the Author
