Longest solar eclipse for 1,000 years turns Sun into a blazing ring of fire

The sun is reduced to a ring of gold against the black sky as the Moon slips between it and Earth. This solar eclipse yesterday lasted for 11 minutes and eight seconds, setting a record that will not be beaten until December 23, 3043. Such events, which only blot out the middle of the Sun, are known as annular eclipses. They occur about 66 times a century and can only be viewed in the narrow band on the Earth’s surface below their path. Yesterday’s light show began in Africa before crossing the Indian Ocean, where it reached its peak at about 7am GMT. It then continued into Asia where it could be seen in the Maldives, southern India, parts of Sri Lanka, Myanmar and China. In other parts of Africa as well as the Middle East and Eastern Europe, skywatchers were treated to a partial eclipse. (Daily Mail)