Stunning photos show solar eclipse as a ‘ring of fire’ over Canada

The sun and moon combined to create a dazzling ring of fire over northern Canada early Thursday during a rare annular solar eclipse that was at least partially visible across much of the country.

Early risers captured spectacular footage of the eclipse, which played out around 6 a.m. over much of Canada.

4:53 What you need to know to view this years Annular Solar Eclipse

Skywatchers in Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and the northern parts of Ontario and Quebec saw the eclipse as a black hole with a fiery ring around it in the morning sky.

Others in the eastern half of Canada saw the event as a significant partial solar eclipse, with the moon blocking all but a sliver of the rising sun at dawn.

3:54 Catch a glimpse of the rare ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse

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The eclipse was also visible in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, including the eastern United States and parts of Europe, Russia and China.

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An annular eclipse is a rare form of total solar eclipse, in which the moon is at its farthest point from Earth when it moves to block the view of the sun from the Earth. This makes the moon appear too small to fully block out the sun. Instead, it allows a ring of solar light to shine around it. That light creates the dramatic ring of fire effect.

Several observatories captured incredible photos and videos of the rare event, while many photographers also shared their own footage of the eclipse online.

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Thursday’s solar eclipse was the most spectacular and easy-to-watch event on the calendar for 2021. One more total solar eclipse is expected in December, though it will only be fully visible in Antarctica.