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Rare 'ring of fire' solar eclipse dazzles in pictures from around the world

The day after Christmas brought an annular eclipse to part of the eastern hemisphere, and you better believe the cameras came out to catch it.

Eric Mack Contributing Editor
Eric Mack has been a CNET contributor since 2011. Eric and his family live 100% energy and water independent on his off-grid compound in the New Mexico desert. Eric uses his passion for writing about energy, renewables, science and climate to bring educational content to life on topics around the solar panel and deregulated energy industries. Eric helps consumers by demystifying solar, battery, renewable energy, energy choice concepts, and also reviews solar installers. Previously, Eric covered space, science, climate change and all things futuristic. His encrypted email for tips is ericcmack@protonmail.com.
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Eric Mack

We were treated to three solar eclipses in 2019, with the final one sending us into 2020 with a "ring of fire" in the sky. On Thursday, part of the eastern hemisphere was treated to the only annular solar eclipse of the year, which is when the moon passes in front of the sun at a distance that doesn't quite cover the entire solar disc, creating a freaky eye of Sauron effect.

You can watch the entire process of the moon slipping by the sun in the above video from Singapore.

Some of the best shots captured the ring of fire forming in the morning hours over the Middle East and southern Asia, like this masterpiece from Dubai by photographer Kertu Saarits: 


The formation of the ring was also caught from Saudi Arabia: 

<blockquote class="imgur-embed-pub" lang="en" data-id="a/AlFCw8X"><a href="https://imgur.com/a/AlFCw8X">Sun Eclipse during the sunrise ,alhasa,Hafouf , East of Saudi Arabia . Looks like doughnut</a></blockquote><script async src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Clouds in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, added a dramatic effect: 


And here is it, showing up as dancing shadows on a wall in Delhi, India: 


The view was little different from space, where astronauts on the International Space Station instead looked earth-ward and caught the shadow of the moon on our planet:

In the end, humanity survived yet another solar eclipse without any existential consequences

The next annular solar eclipse will light up the sky on June 21, 2020 over parts of Africa, Asia and the Pacific.

Originally published Dec. 26, 11:07 a.m. PT.