Last solar eclipse of the year today: When, where and how to watch

The last solar eclipse of the year is set to occur on Saturday (December 4) and some people in the southern hemisphere of the world would witness the event as a total or partial solar eclipse.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the sun, moon and the earth are in a direct line and people living at places where the centre of the moon's shadow hits the earth would see the event.

"The sky becomes very dark, as if it were dawn or dusk. Weather permitting, people in the path of a total solar eclipse can see the Sun's corona, the outer atmosphere, which is otherwise usually obscured by the bright face of the Sun," the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said.

Where will it be visible ?

Antarctica will be the only place on earth from where the total solar eclipse could be seen. 

In some other places, where the sun, moon and the earth are not directly lined up, a partial solar eclipse could be seen. Only a part of the sun's surface will appear to have a shadow during this celestial event.

A partial eclipse could be seen in parts of Saint Helena, Namibia, Lesotho, South Africa, South Georgia and Sandwich Islands, Crozet Islands, Falkland Islands, Chile, New Zealand, and Australia, NASA said.

How to watch ?

Countries where the event is not visible directly, including India, can still view the event using NASA's live streaming service. 

A view of the total eclipse from the Union Glacier, Antarctica would be streamed by NASA, conditional that the weather is clear during the time of the event.

Is it safe to look ?

A solar viewing or eclipse glass is always needed to watch the sun during the eclipse and it is never safe to directly look at it. 

However, during a total eclipse, it is safe to directly look at the sun during the period of totality, that is when the moon completely obscures the sun.