Thousands in Asia marvel at ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse

A partial solar eclipse is seen from Lahore, Pakistan, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2019. The last solar eclipse of 2019 was witnessed in Pakistan along with several other countries. (Photo by K.M. CHAUDARY / AP)

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia — People along a swath of southern Asia gazed at the sky in marvel on Thursday at a “ring of fire” solar eclipse.

The so-called annular eclipse, in which a thin outer ring of the sun is still visible, could be seen along a path stretching from India and Pakistan to Thailand and Indonesia.

Authorities in Indonesia provided telescopes and hundreds of special glasses to protect viewers’ eyes. Thousands of people gazed at the sky and cheered and clapped as the sun transformed into a dark orb for more than two minutes, briefly plunging the sky into darkness. Hundreds of others prayed at nearby mosques.

“How amazing to see the ring of fire when the sun disappeared slowly,” said Firman Syahrizal, a resident of Sinabang in Indonesia’s Banda Aceh province who witnessed the eclipse with his family.

The previous annular solar eclipse in February 2017 was also visible over a slice of Indonesia.

/atm