There's a total solar eclipse today - here's what that means and when the next one is

A total solar eclipse will grace the planet today (14 December), with vast areas of the Earth plunged into temporary darkness as the Moon passes in front of the Sun.

It's the only total eclipse of the Sun of 2020, and those in the path of totality – where the Sun appears to be perfectly obscured by the Moon – will be witness to over two minutes of darkness.

Here is everything you need to know.

Will the eclipse be visible from the UK?

Unfortunately, the eclipse won’t be visible from the UK. We won’t even get to see a partial eclipse, where the Sun is only partly obscured by the Moon, giving it a crescent-like appearance.

South America is where you need to be to see the total eclipse in its full glory, specifically in the countries of Argentina and Chile, which will be subject to the greatest effects of the phenomenon.

‘Totality’ will be visible in the Araucanía and Los Ríos regions of Chile, and the Northern Patagonia region of Argentina.

Chile has been spoiled for total eclipses recently, and the country was last witness to one only last year on 2 July 2019.