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© Getty Images The rare annular solar eclipse was visible across much of Africa and Asia. During the 7 minutes 15 seconds annularity, the moon passes directly in front of the sun, leaving a spectacular ring of fire. The whole eclipse took 4 hours, 11:05 a.m. until 03.05 p.m.

Thousands of people in Africa and Asia have viewed an eclipse as the moon crossed the sun's path blocking everything but a narrow, blazing rim of light.

The path of the eclipse began in Africa - passing through Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Somalia before crossing the Indian Ocean, where it reached its peak, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration website.

The path then continued into Asia where the eclipse could be seen in the Maldives, southern India, parts of Sri Lanka, Burma and China.

Clouds obscured the partial solar eclipse in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, disappointing residents who were up early to catch a glimpse.

The eclipse is known as an annular eclipse because the moon does not block the sun completely.

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.

In Uganda, locals refer to an eclipse as a war between the sun and moon.

Friday's eclipse was visible from a 190 mile-wide path that passes through half the globe, according to the Nasa website.

The last total eclipse of the sun was on July 22 2009, when it was visible in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, China and some Japanese islands.

Source: Press Association
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© Getty Images The eclipse as seen from Qingdao, Shandong Province of China.

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© Getty Images The eclipse as seen from Taipei, Taiwan.

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© Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters Bangkok, Thailand: An aircraft flies pass a solar eclipse

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© Sayyid Azim/APView from Nairobi, Kenya

Annular eclipse Jan 15 2010
© Wu Hong/EPAShandong, China: The annular solar eclipse as seen from Hongdao of Qingdao

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© Rupak De Chowdhuri/ReutersRameswaram, India: Solar eclipse occurs over the skies of the southern Indian town