The rare event of solar eclipse had happened at Southeast Asia region, on which the dark disk of the moon creeps across the setting sun. Only people viewing from the southern Indian Ocean were among the few to see the full annular eclipse, so called because at its peak the eclipse is surrounded by an annulus, or ring, of fiery light.

A fantastic sequence of photos above shows the moon passing between Earth and the sun before, during, and after an annular eclipse, as seen on January 26, 2009, from Bandar Lampung in Indonesia. The path of the full annular eclipse crossed mostly open ocean in the southern part of the globe, starting about 560 miles (900 kilometers) south of Africa and not reaching land until it crossed Australia’s Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean. However, observers in southern Africa, Madagascar, Australia, and Southeast Asia were able to watch a partial eclipse.

Astronomer Jay Pasachoff used a specially equipped camera to capture images of the January 26, 2009, annular eclipse from the Indonesian island of Java. Practicing photography techniques and for getting the public excited about astronomy is significant for him as he added later.

The image of haze blurs the bright ring around an annular eclipse on January 26, 2009 was captured from Anyer Beach on the Indonesian island of Java, one of the few places where the solar eclipse was completely visible. Crowds gathered across Indonesia to witness the event, some cheering and banging drums as the moon seemed to cross the face of the sun.

These two magnificient photos were taken from Malaysia. The clouds seems to fold during the eclipse and the color reacts accordingly. The picture has been taken from one of the busiest highway in the nation.

Pictures and Info Sources: National Geographic Photos, Thestar Online and Berita Harian Online.

Category: Arts and Culture, South East Asia