Solar eclipse over the South Pacific, thousands greet spectacle

Hanga Roa - A total solar eclipse is one of the most amazing spectacles in the universe. A solar eclipse occurred over the South Pacific where thousands of scientists, tourists and residents witnessed the fantastic display.

A solar eclipse is when the Moon moves between the Sun and the Earth and the satellite either partially or fully covers the Sun, depending on where you are on Earth. A solar eclipse can only occur during a new Moon period. The next solar eclipse will happen on Nov. 13, 2012. On Sunday, a total solar eclipse occurred and, according to Xinhua, thousands of people, including scientists and tourists, gathered at Chile’s low populated Easter Island, however, the total solar eclipse was only visible at specific small sections of the island. EuroNews reports that the space spectacle nearly doubled the island’s occupancy from 4,800 to more than 8,000 but forecasters warned of cloudy skies and possible showers, however, the skies cleared. Everyone was excited, even in Tahiti where everyone was watching the World Cup football final match, they quickly turned their attention to the sky. “It was like being in the stadium at night with artificial light. It was like being in a dark room with a 10-watt bulb,” said local official Francisco Haoa, reports BBC News. “It started with a shadow. The skies were perfectly blue, with lots of wind which chased away the clouds. Everyone applauded.”