Total eclipse will shield sun over South America next week

June 27 (UPI) -- The first total solar eclipse since 2017 will occur next week, and will be visible in parts of South America.

The eclipse will be seen along a 6,000-mile swath on Tuesday. When it aligns with the sun, the moon will cast a dark shadow over parts of Chile and Argentina, experts said. During the event, those locations will be shaded from the sun for several minutes.

Observers will be able to see next week's eclipse in a narrow zone from Chile to central Argentina. Neighboring South American countries will see a partial eclipse.

The "Great South American Eclipse" will be the only total eclipse of 2019, and the first since the "Great American Eclipse" of August 2017. There will be an "annular" eclipse on Dec. 26 visible in many Mideast nations.

Experts at NASA say the only safe way to observe the eclipse is through special-purpose solar filters, like the "eclipse glasses" that became famous during the 2017 event -- which was seen over a large section of the United States.

Tuesday's will be the final total eclipse until December 2020, which will be a near repeat -- as Chile and Argentina will again be the primary locations under its path.

The next total solar eclipse in the United States will occur April 8, 2024, and will be visible from Texas to New England.