Total photo voltaic eclipse plunges Antarctica into darkness


Total photo voltaic eclipse on December 4.

A complete photo voltaic eclipse plunged Antarctica from summer time into darkness early Saturday in a uncommon astronomical spectacle witnessed by a handful of scientists and thrill-seekers—and numerous penguins.

“The visibility was wonderful,” mentioned Raul Cordero of the University of Santiago de Chile (USACH), who was on website to witness “totality” at 0746 GMT, with the “ring of fireside” part lasting simply over 40 seconds.

Solar eclipses happen when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, casting its shadow on Earth. For the eclipse to be whole, the Sun, Moon and Earth have to be immediately aligned.

Totality was seen solely in Antarctica, skilled by a small variety of scientists, specialists and journey vacationers—who paid some $40,000 for the privilege.

Streamed dwell by NASA from the Union Glacier camp in Antarctica, the eclipse started at 0700 GMT because the Moon started to maneuver in entrance of the Sun, coming to an finish at 0806 GMT.

The Union Glacier camp is located about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) north of the South Pole.

According to NASA, a partial eclipse was additionally seen throughout elements of the southern hemisphere, together with elements of Saint Helena, Namibia, Lesotho, South Africa, Chile, New Zealand and Australia.

The final whole photo voltaic eclipse in Antarctica occurred on November 23, 2003 and the subsequent one won’t be till 2039.

An annular photo voltaic eclipse—by which the Moon obscures all however an outer ring of the Sun—is about to comb throughout North America in October 2023, adopted by a complete eclipse in April 2024.

The longest lunar eclipse in centuries will occur this week, NASA says

© 2021 AFP

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Total photo voltaic eclipse plunges Antarctica into darkness (2021, December 4)
retrieved 4 December 2021
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