After a year filled with spectacular solar eclipses, supermoons, and other celestial events, skywatchers have learned to plan far in advance for destination trips that offer the best views. If you’re organizing travel for 2019, consider timing your vacation around the total solar eclipse centered near La Serena, Chile, with travel arrangements through Tropical Sails Corp.
Tropical Sails Corp. is an adventure travel company that specializes in solar eclipse experiences. Their new tour highlights the total solar eclipse on July 2, 2019, while also including visits to nearby cities and regional attractions so travelers can enjoy both the astronomical event and the local culture.
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves directly between Earth and the Sun, completely blocking the solar disk for observers located within the path of totality. At an optimal viewing site, totality lasts a little over two minutes and reveals the Sun’s corona as a luminous halo surrounding the dark silhouette of the Moon.
La Serena, located on Chile’s Pacific coast just south of the eclipse centerline, is an excellent base for viewing. Being near but slightly south of the centerline can provide longer visibility of the event, and elevated inland sites often offer clearer skies and better lines of sight than sea-level locations. Travelers choosing La Serena gain the advantage of coastal scenery, convenient access to viewing sites, and nearby amenities to complement the eclipse experience.