A total solar eclipse will occur on December 15, 2039. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the Sun for a viewer on Earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is larger than the Sun's, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness. Totality occurs in a narrow path across Earth's surface, with the partial solar eclipse visible over a surrounding region thousands of kilometres wide.
The totality of the eclipse begins in the southern Pacific Ocean, passing over much of Antarctica and closely reaching the South Pole. A partial eclipse will be visible in the southern extremities of South America and Africa. It will terminate in the southern Indian Ocean several hours later.