Annual eclipse reaches Africa

The longest annular solar eclipse of the millennium began on Friday and travelled across several African countries before heading towards the Indian Ocean and eastern Asia.
In the Kenyan capital of Nairobi many residents gathered to watch this rare celestial phenomenon known as an annular eclipse - because it does not completely black out the sun.
Observers used sun filters and sheets of perspex to look at the eclipse as it was passing through the sky of their country. The eclipse was visible across a broad swath of African countries and was visible in the Ugandan capital of Kampala, where locals had gathered to watch it.
The annular path began in Africa and continued its way through the Indian Ocean.
It could later be observed in India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, Myanmar and China.
Annular eclipses, which are considered far less important to astronomers than total eclipses of the sun, occur about 66 times a century and can only be viewed by people in the narrow band along its path.
An annular eclipse occurs when the moon is farther from the Earth than during total eclipses.
The moon passes directly in front of the sun but doesn't completely cover it, resulting in a what appears to be a ring of fire.