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.

Occurring about 12 hours before perigee (on November 14, 2012, at 10:20 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.

A partial eclipse was visible for parts of Australia, New Zealand, Oceania, West Antarctica, the Antarctic Peninsula, and southern South America.

Maximum eclipse over New Zealand occurred around 10:30 NZDT (21:30 UTC), with Auckland at 10:27, Wellington at 10:34, Christchurch at 10:35 and Dunedin at 10:36.

Chilean coastal locations were ideally situated to observe an eclipsing sunset over the Pacific Ocean.

On the morning of November 14, skies in Auckland were cloudy, obscuring much of the eclipse, which peaked at 10:27 NZDT.

[8] Cloud also obscured the moment of totality at Cairns, disappointing many tourists that had flocked to the area.

Their appearance and longitude are irregular due to a lack of synchronization with the anomalistic month (period of perigee).