A halo of sun shone above parts of Africa on Thursday as the moon glided between the sun and the Earth, causing an annular or “ring of fire” eclipse.
Unlike a total solar eclipse where the moon completely blocks the sun’s light, an annular eclipse occurs when the moon partially blocks the sun, leaving a run of sunlight around the edges.
Thursday’s eclipse could be seen from countries including the Republic of Congo, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Madagascar and Mozambique, according to NASA. This video shows the view from the village of Saint-Gilles on Réunion, an island off the eastern coast of Africa.
The event began a shortly after 2 a.m. EDT and ended around 8 a.m. EDT, Space.com reported.
The next solar eclipse will take place Feb. 26, 2017 over South America, according to NASA, and a total solar eclipse will take place over the United States on Aug. 21, 2017.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- Coco Gauff Is Playing for Herself Now
- Scenes From Pro-Palestinian Encampments Across U.S. Universities
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Abigail Abrams at abigail.abrams@time.com