A hybrid solar eclipse was tracked from the Indian Pacific Ocean to the Pacific was mostly over water. Very few people in its path got a good view of the total darkness of the whole eclipse or the “ring of fire”. 

About 20,000 eclipse chasers under the cloudless sky in Australia’s northwest coast watched a rare solar eclipse. 

The tourist town of Exmouth, with fewer than 3,000 residents, was promoted as one of the best points in Australia to see the eclipse that also crossed parts of Indonesia and East Timour. An international crowd had been gathered for days camping on the dusty plain with their cameras and other equipment pointed up towards the sky. 

One of NASA’s astronomers Henry Throop was among the many people cheering loudly in the darkness. As well, Julie Copson traveled more than 600 miles from the Australian west coast port city of Fremantle to Exmouth and said the experience left her skin tingling. 

In Indonesia’s capital, hundreds of people came to Jakarta Planetarium to see the partial eclipse due to clouds. The call of prayer resounded from the city mosques when the eclipse phase began and prayed as the eclipse was a reminder of God’s greatness.