A total solar eclipse which took place over Antarctica on Saturday morning has been revealed in stunning photos, taken by a few of the lucky viewers who witnessed it from the southernmost continent.
The rare spectacle of the moon blocking out the sun reached its greatest extent at around 07:33 GMT for spectators near the edge of Antarctica’s Ronne Ice Shelf, which was plunged into darkness for two minutes.
The eclipse provided a short respite from the long summer’s day that Antarctica has been experiencing since October — in fact, the sun won’t be setting there again until April.
Elsewhere in Antarctica, such as at Scott Base, the New Zealand Antarctic research facility, viewers were instead able to capture image of the partial solar eclipse which graced much of the southern hemisphere.
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A total solar eclipse which took place over Antarctica on Saturday morning has been revealed in stunning photos, taken by a few of the lucky viewers who witnessed it from the southernmost continent. Pictured: the total solar eclipse as seen from the Union Glacier in Antarctica
For spectators at the Ronne Ice Shelf’s edge, the rare sight of the moon blocking the sun was magnified to its maximum extent around 07:33 GMT. The spectacle was witnessed by two-minutes silence. As the moon blocks out the sun, darkness descends on Union Glacier.
The eclipse provided a short respite from the long summer’s day that Antarctica has been experiencing since October — in fact, the sun won’t be setting there again until April. Photographed: Scientists observe the eclipse at the Union Glacier
Viewers were able to take images from Scott Base in Antarctica. This is the New Zealand Antarctic Research Facility. Pictured: The partial solar Eclipse as seen from Scott Base on Dec 4, 2021
The moon’s passage between Earth and Sun causes a solar eclipse. It casts shadows on Earth. You can choose from several types depending on the amount of Sun that is obscured for a particular location.
Because the moon orbits in a different plane than the Earth, solar eclipses don’t occur every six months.
On top of this, total solar eclipses are about three times rarer and are only seen by those in the 60–160-mile-wide path of the moon’s shadow, which on Saturday cleaved an arc across the West Antarctica Ice Sheet.
While the April 8th total solar eclipse is not expected, it will be seen widely across Canada, Mexico and America.
While a total eclipse of the sun isn’t expected in Europe this century, it will be observed elsewhere.
All three celestial bodies need to be directly aligned for a total solar eclipse.
Viewers can see that the sky turns very dark just like dawn and dusk. They may even be able to spot the sun’s corona around the moon’s perimeter.
The bright Sun’s face can obscure the corona under normal conditions.
A similar phenomenon, an annual solar eclipse, occurs on those occasions where the moon appears slightly smaller than the sun, failing to completely block it out and leaving an ‘annular ring’ around it at the moment of greatest eclipse.
On October 14, 2023, the next annular eclipse crosses North America.
NASA had predicted last week that although the eclipse will be nearly missed, there would still be some treats for those who live in the southern hemisphere.
According to the space agency, viewers may not be able to witness the full solar eclipse from certain locations. However, some people will see a partial one in those places. blog post.
Partial solar eclipses are when the Earth, sun, and moon do not line up perfectly. An alternative to the sun appearing completely obscured, it will appear with a darker shadow on a portion of its surface.
“Viewers from South Africa and parts of Namibia, Lesotho (South Africa), South Georgia and Sandwich Islands Crozet Islands Falkland Islands Chile and New Zealand will be able to see the partial solar eclipse that occurs on December 4th,” said the space agency.
The moon’s passage between Earth and Sun causes a solar eclipse. It casts shadows on Earth. There are many types depending on the amount of Sunobscurity seen by a viewer at a particular location. Pictured Saturday’s total eclipse, as seen from Antarctica’s Union Glacier
The moon’s orbit around Earth is not in the same plane as that of the Earth. Solar eclipses occur approximately every six months. Pictured: A scientist from the Glacier Union scientific station at Antarctic uses special glasses in order to view the complete solar eclipse.
Total solar eclipses are about three times rarer and are only seen by those in the 60–160-mile-wide path of the moon’s shadow, which on Saturday cleaved an arc across the West Antarctica Ice Sheet. Pictured: the shadow of the moon cast on Antarctica this weekend, as seen by NASA’s EPIC camera onboard the NOAA DSCOVR spacecraft
The next total solar eclipse will not occur until April 8, 2024 but — unlike this weekend’s limited-visibility spectacle — will be widely seen across swathes of Canada, Mexico and the United States. Photo: The total solar eclipse seen from Antarctica’s Union Glacier. This glacier was temporarily blinded by the sun.
However, the potential spectacle would not have had much impact. For onlookers in Australia, of all the capital cities it was Hobart that had the potential to enjoy the largest eclipse — but at most only 11 per cent of the sun’s area would have been obscured.
This would mean that in Melbourne the figure is only 2%, while Canberra would see the eclipse barely because the sun was just above the horizon during the maximum.
New Zealand’s South Island also presented a modest show. Invercargill only saw four percent of the Sun, while Queenstown only saw 0.7per cent.
NASA warned NASA that the partial eclipse could occur in many locations at the same time as sunrise and sunset.
In order to see the eclipse in person, it is necessary that viewers have clear vision of the horizon.
NASA provided a livestream view of the total solar eclipse as seen from Antarctica’s Union Glacier on both its YouTube channel and websitem, with a recording of such available to watch on YouTube.
To have a total eclipse of the sun, each celestial body must line up. Viewers can see that the sky is darkening, as if the sun were at dawn or dusk. However, it’s possible to glimpse the corona (or outer atmosphere) of the Sun, which may appear around the circumference of the moon. Normal circumstances will obscure the corona by the Sun’s brightening face.
NASA stated in a blog last week that viewers may not see the complete solar eclipse at certain locations. However, some people will experience partial solar eclipses. Partial solar Eclipses are when the Earth and sun do not line up perfectly. The sun appears partially blocked instead of appearing completely obscured. Pictured: a composite time-lapse of the partial eclipse as seen above the South Pole Telescope at the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station
The space agency stated that viewers in South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho and South Georgia, South Georgia, South Georgia, Sandwich Islands and Crozet Islands and Falkland Islands will witness a partial eclipse of the sun on December 4.
WHAT TIME WILL SOLAR ECLIPSES NEXT COME TO PLACE?
Next US Solar Eclipse will be on April 8, 2024. The eclipse will travel from Texas to Maine. Montreal, Canada, can see the entire event.
Next total solar eclipse, which will take place on August 12, 2026 will be visible in the Arctic, Greenland Iceland, Spain, Northeastern Portugal and Iceland.
The graphic below shows the global solar eclipses between 2018-2040. On April 8, 2024, the next US solar eclipse passes from Texas to Maine. Montreal, Canada, will be able to witness the completeity.
On September 2nd, 2035, a large number of people in China, northern Japan and Korea will witness a total solar eclipse.
Australia will host the most total solar eclipses between 2023-2038. Five solar eclipses are visible from Australia, which will happen between April 20th, 2023, and December 26th 20, 2038.