The last solar eclipse of the year happened Christmas evening
Dec 26, 2019, 6:51 AM | Updated: 6:59 am
TOPSHOT - The moon totally covers the sun in a rare "ring of fire" solar eclipse as seen from the south Indian city of Dindigul in Tamil Nadu state on December 26, 2019. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP) (Photo by ARUN SANKAR/AFP via Getty Images)
(Photo by ARUN SANKAR/AFP via Getty Images)
(CNN) — The universe sent one last solar salute of the decade down to Earth on Christmas day — or Thursday, December 26, depending on where you are in the world.
Commonly referred to as the “ring of fire” eclipse, this solar event occurs annually as the moon passes in front of the sun, covering the sun’s center and leaving a blazing ring of light around the moon’s silhouette.
The celestial celebration wasn’t visible from North America, but lucky watchers in parts of Indonesia, southern India, Oman and Saudi Arabia were able to see — and capture breathtaking images — of the eclipse.
Here are a few photos of the spectacular event
A young girl in Tanjung Piai, Malaysia, gazed at the eclipse through solar filter glasses.
A girl uses solar filter glasses to watch the moon as it moves in front of the sun in a rare “ring of fire” solar eclipse in Tanjung Piai, Malaysia on December 26, 2019. – (Photo by Sadiq ASYRAF / AFP) (Photo by SADIQ ASYRAF/AFP via Getty Images)
Early in the morning, a group of seagulls flew above a beach in Kuwait City as the moon partially eclipsed the sun on the horizon.
This picture taken early on December 26, 2019 shows seagulls flying above a beach in Kuwait City during the partial solar eclipse event. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP) (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT/AFP via Getty Images)
A crowd gathered outside in Jakarta, Indonesia, donning protective glasses to view the eclipse.
People look up at the sun with protective glasses to watch a solar eclipse from Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
A radiating “ring of fire” was captured through a safety glass in Siak, Riau province, Indonesia, one of the areas in a swath of southern Asia that was able to see the full eclipse.
Workers use a piece of welder’s glass to watch as the moon moves in front of the sun in a rare “ring of fire” solar eclipse in Singapore on December 26, 2019. (Photo by Louis KWOK / AFP) (Photo by LOUIS KWOK/AFP via Getty Images)
A group of monks wore solar filter glasses to watch the event at the Ganden monastery in a Tibetan colony in India’s southern Karnataka state.
TOPSHOT – Monks wearing solar filter glasses watch a “ring of fire” solar eclipse at the Gaden monastery in a Tibetan colony in Teginkoppa, 50km south of Dharwad in India’s southern Karnataka state, on December 26, 2019. (Photo by Rakesh Nagar / AFP) (Photo by RAKESH NAGAR/AFP via Getty Images)
People knelt and prayed as the eclipse was projected onto a screen in the Indonesian port city of Surabaya.
People pray for the eclipse during a rare “ring of fire” solar eclipse in Surabaya on December 26, 2019. (Photo by JUNI KRISWANTO / AFP) (Photo by JUNI KRISWANTO/AFP via Getty Images)
A roadside vendor caught a glimpse of the partial eclipse through a pair of protective glasses in Hyderabad, India.
A roadside vendor holds a special filter and watches a partial solar eclipse in Hyderabad, India, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
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