The rare astronomical event of a total solar eclipse swept across parts of Indonesia and the Indian and Pacific Oceans on Wednesday, while substantial partial eclipses were also visible through other parts of Asia and Australia.
Astronomy enthusiasts watched the phenomenon from beaches, rooftops and observatories, and tens of thousands of both foreign and Indonesian tourists ventured out to the best viewing spots. Special events were organized to celebrate of the phenomenon, including cruises, festivals and dragon boat races. The solar eclipse was viewed by around 40 million people.
The eclipse was also marked by Indonesia's indigenous populations, who held special rituals to honor its rare occurrence. In Borneo Island's Palangkaraya, for example, Dayak tribesmen performed a ritual to ensure that the sun, which they perceive as the source of all life, did not completely disappear.
The moon began to move between the Earth and sun at 6:19 am (23:19 GMT Tuesday), and around an hour later a total eclipse became visible in western areas of the world's biggest archipelago nation. The sun then went completely dark in a wide arc across 12 out of Indonesia's 34 provinces, which straddle three time zones and stretch around 3,000 miles from east to west, passing over the major islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi and Malukus before heading away across the Pacific Ocean.
The process of the eclipse lasted for around three hours in Indonesia, but the total eclipse was observable for between one and a half and three minutes, depending on location. The weather was clear at many popular viewing spots, although clouds obscured views in some areas.
Although the moon passes between Earth and the sun every month, total eclipses only occur when the three celestial bodies become precisely aligned. From Earth, the moon is just wide enough to cover the face of the sun, producing a silver halo in an indigo sky. This eclipse was particularly unique because it happened while the moon was at its closest point to Earth, which makes the moon appear larger in the sky in what is referred to as a supermoon.
The last total solar eclipse occurred on March 20, 2015, visible only from the Faroe Islands and Norway's Arctic Svalbard archipelago. Total eclipses of the sun appear about every 18 months on average. The continental United States will have the opportunity to see a total eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017.
