Hybrid Solar Eclipse 2013: Rare celestial event visible from US, Europe and Africa

A rare solar eclipse that began as a “ring of fire” and transformed into a spectacular total eclipse of the sun amazed skywatchers from North America to Africa on Sunday, November 3.

The celestial event was a rare hybrid solar eclipse, which began over the Atlantic Ocean as an annular eclipse and transitioned into a full total solar eclipse for observers along the narrow path of totality in the eastern Atlantic and over parts of Africa.

Observers along the US East Coast and parts of Canada, meanwhile, awoke to a partial solar eclipse at sunrise.

People watched the rare solar eclipse showing the Sun partially blocked by the Moon passing in front, as seen in Estoril near Lisbon, Portugal.