A total

solar eclipse A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby obscuring the view of the Sun from a small part of the Earth, totally or partially. Such an alignment occurs during an eclipse season, approximately every six month ...

took place on Monday, December 14, 2020, when the

Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...

passed between

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...

and the

Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. The Sun radiates this energy mainly as light, ultraviolet, and infrared radi ...

, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. Totality occurred in a narrow path across Earth's surface across parts of the South

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

, southern

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

, and the South

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

, when the Moon's

apparent diameter The angular diameter, angular size, apparent diameter, or apparent size is an angular distance describing how large a sphere or circle appears from a given point of view. In the vision sciences, it is called the visual angle, and in optics, it is ...

was larger than the Sun's so all direct sunlight was blocked. The partial solar eclipse was visible over a surrounding region thousands of kilometres wide, including parts of the

, southwestern

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

, and the

. The Moon's apparent diameter was larger than average because the eclipse occurred only 1.8 days after

perigee An apsis (; ) is the farthest or nearest point in the orbit of a planetary body about its primary body. For example, the apsides of the Earth are called the aphelion and perihelion. General description There are two apsides in any ellip ...

(on December 12, 2020).

Visibility

Chile

Totality made landfall in

Puerto Saavedra Saavedra () is a Communes of Chile, commune of Chile in Cautín Province, Araucanía Region. The principal community and administrative centre of the commune is the List of towns in Chile, town of Puerto Saavedra. The commune is named after the Ch ...

, before traversing through portions of

Araucanía Region The Araucanía ( ), La Araucanía Region ( es, Región de La Araucanía ) is one of Chile's 16 first-order administrative divisions, and comprises two provinces: Malleco in the north and Cautín in the south. Its capital and largest city is Te ...

Los Ríos Region The Los Ríos Region (Spanish: ''Región de Los Ríos'', , ''Region of the Rivers'') is one of Chile's 16 regions, the country's first-order administrative divisions. Its capital is Valdivia. It began to operate as a region on October 2, 2007, ...

, and a very small part of Bío Bío Region. Cities in the path included

Temuco Temuco () is a city and commune, capital of the Cautín Province and of the Araucanía Region in southern Chile. The city is located south of Santiago. The city grew out from a fort of the same name established in 1881 during Chile's invasion ...

, Villarrica, and

Pucón Pucón (Mapudungun: "entrance to the cordillera") is a Chilean city and commune administered by the municipality of Pucón https://www.mipucon.com/ sitio web. It is located in the Province of Cautín, Araucanía Region, 100 km to the south ...

. Totality was also visible on

Mocha Island Mocha Island ( es, link=no, Isla Mocha ) is a small Chilean island located west of the coast of Arauco Province in the Pacific Ocean. The island is approximately in area, with a small chain of mountains running roughly in north-south direction. ...

. The eclipse's path was similar to the

solar eclipse of February 26, 2017 An annular solar eclipse took place on February 26, 2017. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. An annular solar eclipse occurs when t ...

. It occurred just 17 months after the

solar eclipse of July 2, 2019 A total solar eclipse occurred at the ascending node of the Moon's orbit on Tuesday, July 2, 2019, with an eclipse magnitude of 1.0459. Totality was visible from the southern Pacific Ocean east of New Zealand to the Coquimbo Region in Chile and ...

and, like the 2019 eclipse, was also visible from

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

and

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

. It was also a partial solar eclipse in

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...

Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

and

Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...

Argentina

Totality was visible across the Northern

Patagonia Patagonia () refers to a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and gl ...

(specifically the provinces of

Neuquén Neuquén (; arn, Nehuenken) is the capital city of the Argentine province of Neuquén and of the Confluencia Department, located in the east of the province. It occupies a strip of land west of the confluence of the Limay and Neuquén rivers w ...

and Río Negro), passing through cities including

Piedra del Águila Piedra del Águila ( en, Stone of the Eagle) is a second category Municipality and the capital city of Collón Curá Department, located in Neuquén Province, Argentina. Geography Piedra del Águila is located 211 km from Neuquén, the cap ...

, Sierra Colorada, Ministro Ramos Mexía,

Junín de los Andes Junín de los Andes is a first category municipality and administrative center of the Huiliches Department in the province of Neuquén, Argentina. It is located in the south of the province, by the Chimehuin River, on National Route 234, about n ...

, and partially in

San Martín de los Andes San Martín de los Andes is a city in the south-west of the , serving as the administration centre of the Lácar Department. Lying at the foot of the Andes, on the Lácar lake, it is considered one of the main tourism destinations in the province. ...

and

San Carlos de Bariloche San Carlos de Bariloche, usually known as Bariloche (), is a city in the province of Río Negro, Argentina, situated in the foothills of the Andes on the southern shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake. It is located within the Nahuel Huapi National Park. ...

Scientific observations

The ionospheric effects of the eclipse were expected to be monitored as part of the December 2020 Eclipse Festival of Frequency Measurement, a

citizen science Citizen science (CS) (similar to community science, crowd science, crowd-sourced science, civic science, participatory monitoring, or volunteer monitoring) is scientific research conducted with participation from the public (who are sometimes re ...

experiment organized through the Amateur Radio Science Citizen Investigation ( HamSCI). Also, a prediction was made for a group of ionospheric stations in South America, using a numerical model ( SUPIM-INPE), of the ionospheric response to this event.

Gallery

File:Eclipse solar del 14 de diciembre de 2020, Rengo, Chile.jpg, Partial from

Rengo, Chile The , commonly known as , is the largest national trade union center in Japan, with over six million members as of 2011.Rengo websitRengo brochure 2010-2011 Retrieved on July 6, 2012 It was founded in 1989 as a result of the merger of the Japa ...

, 15:07 UTC File:Eclipse 14dic20 Santiago.jpg, Partial from

Santiago de Chile Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, whose ...

, 16:02 UTC File:Eclipse Dic 2020 PVaras.jpg, Partial from

Puerto Varas, Chile Puerto Varas, also known as "La ciudad de las rosas" or “the city of roses”, is a city and commune located in the southern Chilean province of Llanquihue, in the Los Lagos Region. The city is famous for its German traditions, its natural env ...

, 16:09 UTC File:Eclipse solar total del 14.12.2020 - 13.14.57 h.jpg, Totality from Ministro Ramos Mexía, Argentina, 16:14 UTC File:Partial Solar Eclipse of December 2020 seen from M.B Gonnet (50).jpg, Partial from

Manuel B. Gonnet Manuel B. Gonnet is a city in La Plata Partido, Argentina. It is part of a group of neighborhoods developed around the then Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway (later Ferrocarril General Roca) connecting La Plata with Buenos Aires, and Tolosa, Buen ...

, Argentina, 16:32 UTC File:Saros142-23 guarulhos brazil.jpg, Partial from Guarulhos, Brazil, 17:01 UTC File:Eclipse solar de 14 de dezembro de 2020, visto usando um Smartphone.jpg, Partial from

Taubaté Taubaté is a medium-sized city in the State of São Paulo, in southeastern Brazil. Location Its strategic location between the two most important Brazilian cities (São Paulo away, and Rio de Janeiro away), connected to both by the Presiden ...

, Brazil, 17:13 UTC File:Eclipse total 14 de diciembre de 2020, Valcheta, Argentina - Esteban J Andrada.png, Totality from Valcheta, Argentina

Related eclipses

This eclipse took place one

lunar year A lunar calendar is a calendar based on the monthly cycles of the Moon's phases (synodic months, lunations), in contrast to solar calendars, whose annual cycles are based only directly on the solar year. The most commonly used calendar, the Greg ...

after the

Solar eclipse of December 26, 2019 An annular solar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of the orbit on Thursday, December 26, 2019. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the Sun for a viewer on Earth ...

Eclipses of 2020

* A penumbral lunar eclipse on January 10. * A penumbral lunar eclipse on June 5. * An annular solar eclipse on June 21. * A penumbral lunar eclipse on July 5. * A penumbral lunar eclipse on November 30. * A total solar eclipse on December 14.

Tzolkinex

* Preceded:

Solar eclipse of November 3, 2013 A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node on 3 November 2013. It was a hybrid eclipse of the Sun with a magnitude of 1.0159, with a small portion over the western Atlantic Ocean at sunrise as an annular eclipse, and the rest of ...

* Followed:

Solar eclipse of January 26, 2028 An annular solar eclipse will occur on Wednesday, January 26, 2028. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. An annular solar eclipse ...

Half-Saros cycle

* Preceded: Lunar eclipse of December 10, 2011 * Followed: Lunar eclipse of December 20, 2029

Tritos

* Preceded:

Solar eclipse of January 15, 2010 An annular solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's ascending node of the orbit on January 15, 2010, with a magnitude of 0.91903. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of ...

* Followed:

Solar eclipse of November 14, 2031 A total solar eclipse will occur on Friday, November 14, 2031. It is a hybrid event, with portions of its central path near sunrise and sunset as an annular eclipse. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby ...

Solar Saros 142

* Preceded:

Solar eclipse of December 4, 2002 Solar may refer to: Astronomy * Of or relating to the Sun ** Solar telescope, a special purpose telescope used to observe the Sun ** A device that utilizes solar energy (e.g. "solar panels") ** Solar calendar, a calendar whose dates indicate ...

* Followed:

Solar eclipse of December 26, 2038 A total solar eclipse will occur on December 26, 2038. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the M ...

Inex

* Preceded:

Solar eclipse of January 4, 1992 Solar may refer to: Astronomy * Of or relating to the Sun ** Solar telescope, a special purpose telescope used to observe the Sun ** A device that utilizes solar energy (e.g. "solar panels") ** Solar calendar, a calendar whose dates indicate ...

* Followed:

Solar eclipse of November 25, 2049 A total solar eclipse will occur on November 25, 2049. It is a hybrid event, with only a fraction of its path as total, and longer sections at the start and end as an annular eclipse. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and t ...

Triad

* Preceded:

Solar eclipse of February 14, 1934 A total solar eclipse occurred on February 14, 1934. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moo ...

* Followed: Solar eclipse of October 16, 2107

Solar eclipses of 2018–2021

Saros 142

Metonic cycle

References

External links

solar-eclipse.de: ''The total solar eclipse of 12/14/2020''
{{Solar eclipses 2020 12 14 2020 in science 2020 in South America 2020 12 14 December 2020 events