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On Tuesday, people in parts of Chile and Argentina caught a fleeting glimpse of a total solar eclipse, an event that occurs when the moon completely blocks the sun and casts a shadow on Earth.

Some regions in South America saw a partial solar eclipse, including other areas in Chile and Argentina, as well as Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

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This is the first total solar eclipse since 2017, when the "Great American Eclipse" plunged parts of the United States into darkness. The next one won't take place until December 2020.

Some lucky South Americans got to experience the eclipse firsthand, but for the rest of the world, plenty of photos have surfaced that show the total and partial eclipse. Here are the most awe-inspiring ones.

Solar eclipse is seen in La Serana, 500 km north to Santiago of Chile.Credit: Sebastian Brogca/Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesView of the total solar eclipse from a commercial flight in La Serena, Chile.Credit: ARIEL MARINKOVIC / AFP / Getty ImagesSomeone forms a heart around the total solar eclipse.Credit: Lucas Poblete / picture alliance via Getty ImagesSolar eclipse as seen from the La Silla European Southern Observatory (ESO) in La Higuera, Coquimbo Region, Chile.Credit: MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP / Getty Images

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