Some 20,000 people flocked to a small, distant Australian town late Thursday morning to catch a glimpse of a rare total solar eclipse that one lucky spectator described as “stunning”.
The phenomenon, which shrouded the realm in darkness for about a minute, sent astronomy enthusiasts from around the globe to the north-west coast town of Exmouth, which was touted as top-of-the-line viewing spots.
A crowd of individuals began to gather in town, which has a population of lower than 3,000, in the times leading up to the eclipse.
People camped in tents and caravans for days for a probability to witness a celestial display where the moon and sun are almost the identical size and line up almost perfectly within the sky.
NASA astronomer Henry Throop traveled from Washington to Exmouth to observe the eclipse.
“Is not it amazing? It is so incredible. It was mind-blowing,” Throop told Australian Broadcasting Corp. “It was so sharp and shiny. You would see a corona across the sun there.”
![The sun and moon were photographed near Exmouth, Australia during the solar eclipse on April 20, 2023.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/AP23110152931658.jpg?w=1024)
Those within the Australian city saw a total eclipse that left total darkness for about 60 seconds.
“It’s only a minute, but it surely really felt like a very long time. There’s nothing else that appears like this. It was just amazing. Spectacular,” said Throop, clearly excited. “After which you could possibly see Jupiter and Mercury and give you the chance to see them at the identical time in the course of the day – even seeing Mercury in any respect is pretty rare. So it was just amazing.”
The eclipse also covered distant parts of Indonesia and East Timor.
![A partial solar eclipse seen through a cloud over Jakarta, Indonesia, April 20, 2023.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/AP23110156087566.jpg?w=1024)
![A woman and a man use goggles to view a solar eclipse near Exmouth, Australia, April 20, 2023.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/AP23110154007102.jpg?w=1024)
A whole bunch gathered within the Indonesian capital where they experienced a partial eclipse.
The solar event was obscured by clouds, but people were still grateful that they may a minimum of take a peek.
“I’d love to come, despite the fact that it’s cloudy. I’m glad individuals are coming here with great enthusiasm to see the eclipse since it’s rare,” said Azka Azzahra, who watched through the telescope together with her sister and friends.
![Young Indonesians wear goggles to watch the solar eclipse in Jakarta, Indonesia, April 20, 2023.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/AP23110156108240.jpg?w=1024)
![People take turns using a telescope to watch a solar eclipse in Jakarta, Indonesia, April 20, 2023.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/AP23110126980815.jpg?w=1024)
Hybrid solar eclipses occur about once a decade.
The last one was in 2013, and the subsequent one is anticipated in 2031.
Thousands and thousands of individuals within the Americas may have a probability to see the upcoming eclipses in mid-October and April next 12 months.
With postal wires