Total solar eclipse astonishes audiences in Latin America

Thousands of people who attended La Araucania in Chile to witness the rare experience of a total solar eclipse were not left disappointed, with the bad weather doing little to quell their enthusiasm.

Although visibility was limited due to the cloudy sky, large crowds – who wore face masks to limit the spread of Covid-19 They were able to watch the moon block the sun, and the day plunge into darkness.

Many jumped and screamed in the rain when the sun was completely covered in the moon, followed by moments of silence after that and then more screams and cheers as the sun reappeared.

“It was worth two minutes,” said Diego Fuentes, who traveled with his family to see the eclipse.

Another headmistress, Catalina Morales, said that she “loved her very much,” adding: “It was good that there were clouds because we could see them a little without glasses.”

Her father Christian described it as “a wonderful and unique experience”.

During the short period of darkness, it was the only light emitted from people’s cell phones.

There have been some equally impressive opinions in other Latin American countries, including ArgentinaAs well as in some African countries and over parts of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

But the best images came from Chile, where the next total solar eclipse will not be scheduled to last for another 28 years.

The indigenous Mapuche people of La Araucanía have traditionally believed that a total eclipse indicates the temporary death of the sun after a battle with the moon – and what follows is a series of negative events.

Diego Ancalo, a Mapuche community member and president of the Indigenous Foundation that promotes development, noted that the July 2019 eclipse was followed by civil unrest in the country. Chile And later, the COVID-19 pandemic.