Partial solar eclipse at the bottom of the world closes out the year’s sun and moon spectacles

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The bottom of the world is front and center for a partial solar eclipse next week.

Antarctica, New Zealand and a sliver of Australia are in prime position as the moon slips between the sun and Earth, obscuring a good portion of our star. The action unfolds on Monday local time Down Under, two weeks after a total lunar eclipse wowed Asia.

It will be the fourth and last eclipse of the year. Another back-to-back pair of eclipses opened the year in March.

The sun will put on even better shows in 2026, hitting both polar regions. A “ring of fire” eclipse will cut across Antarctica in February, with a total solar eclipse over the Arctic in August, as well as Greenland, Iceland and Spain.

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