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Solar Eclipse of 2022, The first, Strangest, And Most Dangerous Occurs This Saturday
(CTN News) – When will the next solar eclipse take place? We are about to experience the first solar eclipse on our own planet in 2022, just two years after NASA filmed an annular solar eclipse on Mars.
Antarctica and South America will once again see the spectacle of the Moon crossing the Sun, but this time it is not a total eclipse, as seen in December 2021.
Saturday’s celestial event won’t be as impressive as that day’s, but it isn’t without its own attractions.
When is the partial solar eclipse?
The New Moon will appear to cross the Sun at 18:45 Universal Time (UT) on Saturday, April 30, 2022. As seen from the maximum eclipse point in the Drake Passage connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans at 20:41 UT, it will reach maximum obscuration of 54%, with the Moon moving away from the Sun at 22:37 UT.
Where is the partial solar eclipse?
There will be a partial solar eclipse on Chile’s west coast during the cruise season in Antarctica.
Why this partial solar eclipse will be ‘weird’
The main image of this article shows a partially eclipsed sunset seen from Chile. During this one, there will be a “smiley face” Sun, which will cause an unusual “horned sun” as it sinks into the Pacific Ocean.
Under clear skies, you will be able to see the two limbs of the eclipsed Sun separately on the horizon. For eclipse observers, it’s a relatively rare sight, so astrophotographers are likely to travel.
Additionally, the Moon will appear to cross the Sun from the south (left) to the north (right), giving the effect of the Moon’s shadow “bouncing” between the north and south poles.
Why this partial solar eclipse will be ‘weird’
Are solar eclipses dangerous?
They can be — and this one certainly is. Observers in Chile must wear solar eclipse glasses at all times to avoid going blind during the eclipse. Observers will need solar filters for their cameras and telescopes.
The reason it is the most dangerous eclipse of 2022 is that it will be most visible as the Sun sets, encouraging observers to look at the beautiful sight as it sinks into the horizon. In the brief totality of a total solar eclipse, it is completely safe to view an eclipsed sun, but that’s not the case here.
When is the next partial solar eclipse?
The partial solar eclipse on Saturday is the first of two to occur in 2022; the other will be on October 25, 2022.
The eclipse of that one will be visible from Europe, Asia, and Africa and will cover 82% of the Sun. Russia will be the point of maximum eclipse.
