[imagesource: Image: CGTN/ Twitter]

We’re all feeling a little downtrodden these days and the overload of COVID-19 news can be exhausting, so it’s important to remind yourself every once in a while, that there’s a great big world out there with the potential to be astonishingly beautiful.

Sorry if I sound like an inspirational quote, but it’s been a long week, and it’s only Monday.

So, let’s forget about it all for a minute and take a closer look at the “ring of fire” solar eclipse that happened on Sunday, visible to those who live along a narrow strip from West Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, India, and the Far East.

The eclipse occurs when the Moon – passing between Earth and the Sun – is not close enough to our planet to completely block out sunlight, which leaves a thin ring of the solar disc visible, hence why it’s called the ‘ring of fire’.

If you need help getting Johnny Cash’s ‘Ring of Fire’ out of your head now, here are a few tips.

More on the eclipse from Science Alert:

It was first visible in northeastern Republic of Congo from 05:56 local time (04:56 GMT) just a few minutes after sunrise.

Image: Asif Hassan/AFP

That was the point of maximum duration, with the blackout lasting a minute and 22 seconds.

Image: Jewel Samad / AFP

Arcing eastward across Africa and Asia, it reached “maximum eclipse” – with a perfect solar halo around the Moon – over Uttarakhand, India near the Sino-Indian border at 12:10 local time (06:40 GMT).

Image: @zerihuntweets/ Twitter

The exact alignment of the Earth, Moon and Sun was visible for only 38 seconds.

You can watch the full live stream of the event below, or skip ahead to the 1:35:30 mark to see that alignment take place:

Spectacular.

While large gatherings weren’t allowed due to the pandemic, thousands of people all over the world watched it either via live stream or outside their homes.

A solar eclipse always occurs around two weeks before or after a lunar eclipse, when the Moon moves into Earth’s shadow. Lunar eclipses are visible from about half of the Earth’s surface.

Image: CGTN/ Twitter

A lunar eclipse is due on July 5, with the best viewing over North and South America, southern Europe and Africa.

Image: Preetam Negi / Twitter

The next solar eclipse is set to take place on December 14 over South America.

Image: CGTN/ Twitter

This one will block out the sun entirely.

[source:sciencealert]