A young Bulgarian sky watcher observes Monday’s annular eclipse. The phenomenon had the Moon sweeping across the face of the Sun, around noon local time. Photo by BTA
Bulgarian sky watchers witnessed Monday a spectacular annular eclipse around noon.
The Moon moved across the face of the Sun for an annular eclipse - a phenomenon that makes a blazing ring visible around the Moon's disc.
Sofia saw the eclipse at 11:29 local time. Experts said that the event usually weakens the daylight, and slightly decreases temperatures.
Meanwhile, a dark shadow was thrown over much of Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
That was the fourth annular eclipse of the 21st century.
The next total solar eclipse is on March 29th, 2006. It will traverse equatorial West Africa, the Sahara, the western Mediterranean, Turkey and Russia.