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The only total solar eclipse of 2021 will take place today and if you can travel to Antarctica, you may be able to witness the celestial event. Sky gazers in the southern tip of South America, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand can see partial phases of the eclipse. The December 4 eclipse will not be visible from India.
Here is a timetable of the December 4 eclipse, according to space.com (All times local)
| Location | Partial eclipse begins | Maximum eclipse | Partial eclipse ends | % of sun covered |
| Emperor Point, Antarctica | 3:42 am | 4:35 am | 5:28 am | 100% |
| Palmer Station, Antarctica | 3:34 am | 4:23 am | 5:12 am | 94% |
| Cabo Kempe, Argentina | below the horizon | 4:42 am | 4:59 am | 25% |
| Cape Town, South Africa | 7:42 am | 8:19 am | 8:58 am | 12% |
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes in between the Sun and the Earth. Though the Sun is approximately 400 times larger than the moon, it is also 400 times further away. As such, the Sun and moon look similar in disk size and the latter covers the Sun causing the eclipse.
This total solar eclipse comes two weeks after the partial lunar eclipse of November 19.
Live Stream
Weather permitting, a view of the total solar eclipse from Union Glacier, Antarctica, will be streamed on NASA’s YouTube channel and on nasa.gov/live.
The live stream starts at 1:30 am EST. (12:00 pm IST)
Totality begins at 2:44 am EST. (01:14 pm IST)
The stream ends at 3:37 am EST. (02:07 pm IST)
Eye safety during a total solar eclipse
*Do not look directly at the sun – even if the sun is partly covered.
*Wear special eclipse glasses at all times
*Use alternate indirect methods to see the sun such as pinhole box and projection method
*You can view the eclipse via a telescope with a solar filter or solar telescopes.
