Total solar eclipse of 1842. Artwork by the Austrian poet and painter Adalbert Stifter (1805-1868) of the total solar eclipse of 8 July 1842, seen from Vienna, Austria. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes in front of the Sun, as seen from the Earth. This allows the corona (shown here) to be seen. Total solar eclipses usually occur less than once a year, and can only be seen from a small area of the Earth's surface. Centuries can pass before another total solar eclipse is visible from the same location. This copy of the artwork was published in 1882.