Chile prepares for a spectacular total solar eclipse On the eve of the total solar eclipse visible in several countries of the Southern Cone, people in the strip of total darkness in northern Chile live the pre-eclipse frenzy of the final preparations and the arrival of tens of thousands of tourists to this long awaited astronomical event. Both Argentina and Chile will be under a narrow, 6,000-mile long band across the South Pacific that will experience a total eclipse when the Moon will completely block the Sun. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES