Expaters, dust off the telescopes, on 2 July 2019 a total solar eclipse will be visible from Chile.
When?
According to the guys at Nasa, at precisely 4.38pm EST the earth, moon and sun will line up. The moon will block the sun, creating a total eclipse.
Be sure to look up in good time though – the skies will already be shifting from 12.55pm and the show continues right through to 5.50pm.
Where?
You’ll need to travel to the northern deserts for the best views of the solar eclipse, but even if you’re in Santiago, you should be in for a celestial treat.
Parts of the Atacama and Coquimbo will experience complete darkness; day will turn to night in seconds. Meanwhile in Santiago, the effect will be less dramatic, but still rather cool.
This map shows more:
While the prospect of travelling to La Serena might sound enticing, beware that traffic is expected to be horrible. The Ruta 41 road will allow one way traffic only for much of the day.
I’m sticking to my Santiago sofa for this one.
Where to buy glasses
This site sells official solar eclipse glasses here in Chile. I bought mine online, but if you’re in a rush, the store is located downtown.
The astrological department at Chile’s university is also selling glasses. Click here for more.
Is it safe?
I’ve heard stories about wearing fake glasses and getting your eyes hurt. Anyone remember that famous Trump photo?!
I bought a set of glasses for all my family, but I’m actually wondering whether to let my preschool age kids see it. If you can’t guarantee your kid will keep the glasses on, it might be better to pass.
Other ways to watch the solar eclipse
The European Southern Observatory, based in the Atacama Desert in Chile will be live streaming the solar eclipse too.
And chin up, if you missed it all, the next visible total solar eclipse in South America is set for 14 December 2020.
