This image was recorded when the total eclipse occurred in the South American region on December 14.
Can you see this dark red spot sweeping across South America? It’s an eclipse, or at least the image of the eclipse from a distance. On December 14, people in Chile and Argentina witnessed a total solar eclipse – the only total solar eclipse in 2020.
But if you’re not lucky enough to see it, the NOAA image will help. They then captured everything that was happening on Earth from a great distance and showed great results.
This GIF is a collection of time-lapse images from satellites while the dark red dot moving across the Earth is the shadow of the Moon. When an eclipse occurs, the Earth, Moon, and Sun will be in a straight line during the day. In a short period of time, the Moon’s shadow will completely shade the sunlight while the Moon will cast its shadow on the Earth.
People outside the area of Earth shaded by the moon will see a partial eclipse. This time it is the inhabitants of South Africa and a small part of the southwest coast of Africa. If the Sun were a little further from Earth, it would create a so-called annular eclipse. In June of this year, parts of Africa and Asia experienced annular eclipses.
But this is the first, last and only total solar eclipse of 2020. The next solar eclipse will continue to be an annular solar eclipse, which will take place in Canada, Greenland and parts of Asia in June / . 2021. However, it will be difficult for people to see it in person, unless you are in Antarctica.