A solar eclipse occurs roughly every 18 months or so when the Moon passes directly in front of the Sun’s glowing face. When viewed from Earth, the Sun and the Moon are roughly identical in size, meaning the lunar orb can completely blot out the Sun. When this happens, the skies turn dark for minutes at a time, marking the moment of so-called totality. The last partial solar eclipse peaked on January 6 this year and the good news is a total eclipse of the Sun is just around the corner.
When is the next total solar eclipse?
Just seven months after the Moon partially bit into the Sun over East Asia and the Pacific, a total eclipse will peak in July.
The eclipse falls on July 2 in the late early event hours Universal Time.
Here in the UK, US space agency NASA said the eclipse will hit the midway mark around 8.24pm BST or 7.24pm UTC.
Unfortunately, the eclipse will not be visible from the UK or Europe for that matter.
Scroll on below to find out how you can still watch the eclipse unfold live.
READ MORE: Why do Blood Moon lunar eclipses not happen every month?
Where will the solar eclipse be visible?
NASA expects the Sun and the Moon to cross paths next month over parts of South America.
The countries best positioned to see the breathtaking event are Chile and Argentina.
But the good news is the neighbouring countries of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Ecuador will get to see a partial eclipse.
During the partial eclipse, only a portion of the Sun will vanish behind the Moon.
READ MORE: Most stunning lunar eclipse photos from around the world
How to watch the total solar eclipse live online:
Courtesy of robotic telescope service Slooh, the solar eclipse will be broadcast live online for the world to enjoy.
Slooh astrophysicist Dr Paige Godfrey said: “The July 2 eclipse is the first total solar eclipse since the Transcontinental Total Solar Eclipse in summer of 2017.
“That was almost two years ago now, and people are still talking about it as the greatest celestial event of their lifetimes.
“That event has had a lasting effect that has heightened excitement for many of these to come.”
The Slooh livestream will start on July 2 at 8.15pm BST (3.15pm EST or 12.15pm PDT).
And Slooh’s chief astronomer Paul Cox said: “The 2019 South American solar eclipse is not an easy event to capture.
“Unlike the 2017 eclipse, the path of totality – the 90-mile wide path of the Moon’s umbral shadow – only makes landfall across a narrow stretch of Chile and Argentina.
“Having raced across the Pacific Ocean at over 6,000mph, by the time the Moon’s shadow reaches the west coast of Chile, the Sun will be low to the horizon, with the partial eclipse phases occurring just as the Sun is setting.”
