SYDNEY, April 20 (Reuters) – A uncommon hybrid photo voltaic eclipse over a distant city on Australia’s west coast drew 1000’s on Thursday to witness the occasion.
Astronomy followers and lovers from all over the world travelled to Exmouth, a tiny beachside city roughly 1,200 kilometers from state capital Perth, to witness the full photo voltaic eclipse.
The moon crossed the solar for a minute at 11.29am native time (0329 GMT), plunging viewers into darkness and dropping the temperature.
Thursday’s eclipse was a uncommon “hybrid” sort, not seen worldwide since 2013. In a hybrid eclipse, relying on the place viewers stand, the moon both blots out the solar, a complete eclipse, or obscures the middle whereas leaving a hoop of sunshine seen, an annular eclipse.
Peter Bartley made the fifteen hour drive from Perth together with his youngsters and father for the “particular second” collectively.
“It was a tough promote firstly as a result of I advised them it will solely be for a minute and it was going to take fifteen hours to get right here,” mentioned Bartley.
“But it surely was most likely essentially the most thrilling minute that we have had for a very long time.”
Whereas the full eclipse was solely seen from a couple of elements of Australia, Indonesia and Timor Leste, a partial eclipse was seen throughout all three international locations and elements of southeast Asia.
In Jakarta, the sunshine dimmed and the solar took on the looks of a sickle moon, in response to pictures shares on social media.
A bunch of Japanese followers who had travelled to Exmouth burst into tears and hugged after the eclipse ended, in response to video footage from the occasion.
“It felt so eerie, I’ve had shakes,” mentioned Catherine Holler, who had travelled from Perth.
Reporting by Lewis Jackson; Modifying by Sharon Singleton
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