Weather permitting, Minnesotans will see partial solar eclipse on Christmas day. A solar eclipse occurs when the sun, moon and earth are positioned nearly in a straight line. The moon comes directly between the sun and the earth, casting a shadow on the earth's surface. People in the Twin Cities will see about half (55-percent) of the sun disappear. Places farther north will see more solar coverage. University of Minnesota astronomy professor John Dickey says if you didn't know the eclipse was coming--you might not even notice it.