MNN - Mother Nature Network

Millions of people enjoyed this weekend's annular solar eclipse, in which the moon briefly blocked out about 94 percent of the sun — leaving only a glowing "Ring of Fire" around its outer edge. But since this phenomenon was limited to a narrow path from eastern Asia to western North America, most people on Earth didn't get to see it.

 

Thankfully, some of those who did see it had cameras with them, including a photographer in Tokyo who captured this high-definition video:

 

 

For more about this rare eclipse, check out these photos from various parts of the U.S.

 

Don't feel bad if you missed it this weekend; another Ring of Fire eclipse will be visible on Oct. 14, 2023. And in the meantime, there's an even rarer cosmic spectacle coming up next month: the transit of Venus, in which our planetary neighbor will pass directly between the Earth and the sun, while also crossing Earth's orbital plane. After June 5, that won't happen again for 105 years.

 

Also on MNN:

• 7 must-see stargazing events in 2012
• Transit of Venus: What you need to know
• How to make a solar eclipse viewer
• 8 images of solar eclipses