solar eclipse
© The Canadian press/Frank Gunn
An annular solar eclipse rises over the skyline of Toronto on Thursday, June 10, 2021.
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.



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.


The eclipse was also visible in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, including the eastern United States and parts of Europe, Russia and China.
partial solar eclipse in New York on June 10, 2021
© Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images
A partial solar eclipse rises between buildings of the Manhattan skyline from the Edge viewing deck in New York on June 10, 2021.
annular eclipse on June 10, 2021, in New York City.
© Gary Hershorn/Getty Images
The sun rises next to the Statue of Liberty during an annular eclipse on June 10, 2021, in New York City.
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.
An annular solar eclipse in Ottawa on Thursday, June 10, 2021
© The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick
An annular solar eclipse rises over construction cranes and the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, June 10, 2021.
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.
Josh K. ElliottSenior National Online Journalist, Viral/Trends

Josh is a senior writer covering viral and trending topics for Global News online.

He joined the Global team in the spring of 2018 as an international online writer.

Josh previously spent four years at CTV News, where he covered everything from politics to pop culture as a web writer and occasional on-air contributor. He's also spent time covering the NHL for The Hockey News, and remains a die-hard fan of the sport.

Josh earned his undergraduate degree in English and Creative Writing at York University, and his Master of Arts in Journalism from Western University.