Solar eclipse: the best places in Argentina and Chile to see the ring of fire in all its glory

An annular solar eclipse occurs when The Moon is located between the Sun and the Earth and casts a shadow on our planet. Because our natural satellite Located at Apogee, or farthest point from our planet, it will appear relatively smaller from our visual position and will not cover the entire disk of King Astro when inserted. leaves a thin outer ring commonly called: ring of fire

Astronomical phenomenon next Wednesday will last a total of 223 minutes, between 1:50 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., on a trajectory that It will start southwest of the Hawaiian Islands and end north of the Falkland Islands. On your way, Southern Chile and Argentina will have a privileged view of the “Ring of Fire” when it reaches its peak.

Land beyond the shadow path They will experience a partial eclipse. This will be the case for Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and even Mexico.

The annular solar eclipse will have an eclipse magnitude of 0.9326. This means that about 93% of the Sun will be blocked by the Moon, resulting in a “ring”. And at that time the Moon will appear 6.4% smaller than its average size.

There are several places where the eclipse can be seen as a ring of fire, and they are all concentrated in the province of Santa Cruz.

In this province, you can enjoy the eclipse near the Patagonia National Park, which is located in the Patagonian Steppe ecoregion and is nothing less than the first national park to preserve the Santa Cruz Plateau. Here you can enjoy impressive landscapes and wetlands of great value in a rugged environment while observing the eclipse. In this large park, places like Sendero al Lago Argentino, Camping Caburé and La Ascensión Nature Reserve, Mirador del Río Blanco and Sendero Vuelta al Valle will be ideal places to see it.

The Santa Cruz region will receive thousands of tourists on the day of the eclipseso the provincial authorities announced that they would provide special activities such as talks and tours as part of the annular eclipse. “The event is organized by the National Parks Administration, Fundación Rewilding Argentina, the Province of Santa Cruz and the Galileo Galilei Planetarium. In addition, the day is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Sports,” said the National Parks.

Multiple guided tours enjoying the landscape and appreciating the native fauna, gastronomic suggestions local foods and technical interviews They will be provided by entrepreneurs from the towns of Perito Moreno, Los Antiguos and Lago Posadas.

On the other hand, the eclipse is a great opportunity to visit Cueva de las Manos Provincial Parkwhich has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it houses cave paintings from more than 7500 years old. In the vicinity of this unique place, you can also observe the annular eclipse of the Sun.

The city of Perito Moreno, located at the intersection of Provincial Routes No. 43 and 45 and National Route No. 40, the head of the department of Lago Buenos Aires and the capital of rock art, is very close to the Cueva de las Manos and will be another of the ideal places to watch eclipse.

In various places of this beautiful place, professional astronomers and astronomy enthusiasts give different lectures before the eclipse, sponsored by the planetarium of the city of Buenos Aires, Galileo Galilei and the province of Santa Cruz.

On the sightseeing route of the City of Ancients, on the shores of Lake Buenos Aires, it will also be a special place to watch the eclipse. The established location will be the Mirador del Valle del Río Los Antiguos. Known for producing cherries, strawberries and raspberries, this area is also the gateway to Scenic Route 41 and Patagonia National Park. Various astronomy lectures will also be held at this location before and after the eclipse.

Lake Posadas and the small town of 500 people next to it will also be an ideal place to watch the eclipse. Tucked away on the mountain side of the mythical Route 40, this space remains unnoticed by most of those who travel the artery that leads to the most visited destinations in Santa Cruz. Best viewing spot: Arco de Piedra site.

Perito Moreno National Park, Puerto Deseado and Puerto San Julián are other ideal places to observe the annular solar eclipse. All you have to do is choose one of them and go on your way.

After traveling across much of the Pacific Ocean, the eclipse will touch Rapa Nui/Easter Island, where it will be visible for 5.38 minutes.

Likewise, Cochrane in Chile will also be a unique place to observe it.

Also in the Aysén region, especially in the Laguna San Rafael National Park, a unique place with the third largest ice reserve in the world, with 20,000 km of glacial massifs.