On December 4, 2021 just an hour after sunrise the “White Continent” will go dark as a total solar eclipse occurs in one of our planet’s most remote and beautiful regions.
Occurring low in the sky above the floating icebergs of the Wedell Sea on December 4, 2021, this (maximum 1 minute 54 seconds total solar eclipse is exclusive to Antarctica. Onlookers will feel the Moon’s shadow rush towards them and the temperature drop while the light plunges back to twilight after a brief Antarctica night.
Animated path of totality on December 4, 2021.
On December 4, however, the path of totality curves across the lines of longitude and moves “backwards” on the map—from east to west—because the South Pole is tilted towards the Sun.
On December 4, 2021 two special scenic flights will depart from Santiago, Chile and from Melbourne, Australia to intercept the path of totality.
It was visible for barely two minutes, but enthusiastic umbraphiles were happy to pay almost 9,000 USD to catch a glimpse of that rarest of solar wonders — a total eclipse above the South Pole.
As well as hosting the final solar eclipse of 2021, Antarctica will also stage the first one of 2022 when on April 30, 2022, a partial solar eclipse will see 64% of the Sun covered by the Moon as seen from west of the Antarctica Peninsula
A smaller partial solar eclipse will be visible in the south Pacific and western South America
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