MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Partial solar eclipse on Saturday can be seen in southern South America, Falklands and Antarctica

This eclipse will be a partial solar eclipse, as the Sun, Moon and Earth will not be perfectly lined up

The Earth is all set to witness its first solar eclipse of the year 2022, and according to NASA, this cosmic event will take place on Saturday, April 30, at around 6:45 PM UTC. Parts of South America, Antarctica and the Pacific and Southern Oceans will be able to witness this awe-inspiring phenomenon.

NASA said the eclipse should be visible from Chile, Argentina, most of Uruguay, western Paraguay, southwestern Bolivia, southeastern Peru, and a small area of southwestern Brazil, according as well as the Falkland Islands and parts of Antarctica's northwestern coastline.

A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves between the Sun and the Earth, casting a shadow on our planet and blocking the Sun’s light — fully or partially — in some areas.

This eclipse will be a partial solar eclipse, as the Sun, Moon and Earth will not be perfectly lined up. The alignment will nevertheless make the moon cast a shadow on the Earth, although the eclipse takes on a crescent shape. Interestingly, a total solar eclipse can also appear as a partial one to people outside the area covered by the Moon’s inner shadow.

For those that can’t witness the eclipse, NASA has set up some platforms for everyone to view live telecasts of the phenomena from home — such as their social media channels.

But if you happen to be in the region of eclipse visibility, make sure you don’t stare at the event directly. NASA recommends making your own pinhole-projector or solar viewer to observe it from the safety of your own house.