Total Solar Eclipse in Chile

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During the Total Solar Eclipse in the US, we already decided to watch the 2019 Total Solar Eclipse in Chile. As our little girl is 6 years old now, we only can travel during the school holidays.  So, we left for South-America on the last day of school. We made an amazing trip through Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentinia and Brazil.


The eclipse happened in the beginning of our trip.  While we waited for the plane from Santiago de Chile to La Serena, everybody was already talking about the eclipse.  The weather was bad in Santiago, but once we landed in La Serena, we were spoiled with an amazing blue sky.


During totality, we were located in the Elqui valley in Chile.  It was not possible to see the eclipse from the house we rented, because the the sun was already too low in the sky during totality.  To be sure that we could see the eclipse, we climbed a mountain in Alcohuaz, where we could enjoy the eclipse from an altitude of around 2000m, only surrounded by nature and some people.


We took pictures with a Canon EOS 80D and a 300mm lens for the close-ups.  For the composite picture, we used a Canon 1000D with a Sigma 18-35mm F/1.8 lens.


The altitude of the sun during totality was quiet low, and that was the reason why the sun looked way larger than during previous eclipse.  It was again an experience never to forget!


The next solar eclipse during a school holiday is the eclipse of April 2024 in the US and in Mexico. We hope to be there to enjoy another eclipse!



Location: Alcoguaz, Paihuano, Coquimbo, Chili

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