Today’s New Moon brings a total eclipse of the Sun.
The beginning, middle, and end of totality are at 18:03, 19:21, and 20:44 by Universal Time – day for the Pacific and American side of the Earth: 13:03, 14:21, and 15:44 by North America’s Central “Daylight-Shifting” Time.
However, this New Moon happens about half a day before the Moon reaches its ascending node through the ecliptic plane. The result is that the shadow sweeps across Earth’s southern hemisphere. Watchers in central Chile and central-western Argentina will see the powerful spectacle, lasting up to about two and a half minutes, shortly before the Sun goes down to their western horizon – the Pacific, or the Andes.
But there will be a sort of aftermath of the eclipse for the evening of July 4. Watch this space.
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ILLUSTRATIONS in these posts are made with precision but have to be inserted in another format. You may be able to enlarge them on your monitor. One way: right-click, and choose “View image”, then enlarge. Or choose “Copy image”, then put it on your desktop, then open it. On an iPad or phone, use the finger gesture that enlarges (spreading with two fingers, or tapping and dragging with three fingers). I am grateful to know of what methods work for you.