The solar eclipse will begin at 2:45 p.m. EDT (1845 GMT), when it will first be visible to sky observers in the far southeastern Pacific off the coast of Antarctica. The maximum eclipse will occur a few hours later, at 4:41 p.m. EDT (2041 GMT), before it ends at 6:37 p.m. EDT (2237 GMT), according to Timeanddate.com. You can watch the partial solar eclipse on April 30 starting at 3:30 p.m. EDT (1930 GMT) in the window above, courtesy of Timeanddate.com or directly on their website, where they also post the event live. Today’s eclipse is the first of two partial eclipses in 2022. The next one will take place on October 25, when the moon will block part of the sun for viewers in Europe, western Asia and northeastern Africa. You can prepare for the next solar eclipse with our guide on how to photograph a solar eclipse safely. If you need camera equipment, our guides to the best astrophotography cameras and the best astrophotography lenses can assist you in your search.
This NASA animation shows the path of visibility of the partial solar eclipse of April 30, 2022 over the South Pacific Ocean, Antarctica and parts of South America. (Image: NASA / AT Sinclair) A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the Sun. Today’s celestial event is a partial eclipse, meaning that the moon will only partially hide the sun for some viewers on Earth, giving the sun a crescent shape. However, the part of the sun that is blocked by the moon varies depending on the location of the viewer. Today, at most 64% of the Sun’s disk will be hidden from the moon for viewers just south of the southern tip of South America, according to NASA. Unfortunately, the current eclipse will only be visible from sparsely populated areas in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, Antarctica and some South American countries, such as Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia and Peru.
View of the June 2021 partial eclipse as seen from Berlin, Germany. (Image credit: Florian Gaertner / Photothek via Getty Images) For spectators on the eclipse route, it is important to wear special goggles or certified eclipse goggles to observe the sun safely – especially during a partial eclipse when much of the sun is still visible. Never look the sun directly in the eye and do not use the wrong equipment, as this can burn your retina and cause irreparable damage to your eyes. Editor’s Note: If you took an amazing eclipse photo and would like to share it with Space.com readers, please send your photos, comments, and name and location to [email protected] Follow Samantha Mathewson @ Sam_Ashley13. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
