The effect seen in the few seconds just before and just after totalityThe period during a solar eclipse when the Sun's photosphere is completely covered by the Moon and the period for a lunar eclipse when the Moon is in the complete shadow of the Earth. of a total solar eclipseA solar eclipse seen from within the Moon's umbra. The Moon appears to completely block the Sun's photosphere. when there is a single point of sunlight brilliantly shining through a valley on the limb of the Moon.