Passengers on an Indonesian cruise ship watch the total solar eclipse on March 9. The eclipse was met in Indonesia with skywatching parties and prayers.
In Case You Missed It: Stunning Photos of Rare Solar Eclipse
People in most parts of the world couldn't see the only total solar eclipse of 2016 live, but that doesn't mean we all have to miss out.
Thousands of Indonesians witnessed a rare celestial event on Tuesday night: a total eclipse of the sun.
The moon passes between Earth and the sun every month, but a total solar eclipse happens only when the three celestial bodies are perfectly aligned. And this particular eclipse was even more spectacular, because it occurred while the moon was at its closest point to Earth, appearing as a large “supermoon” to those on terra firma.
The moon casts its dark central shadow, called the umbra, onto a very narrow strip along the surface of the Earth. The total eclipse is visible only to people standing within that shadowed strip. This week's total eclipse was visible mostly over a stretch of the Pacific Ocean, but also fell across parts of Indonesia.
Skywatchers on some Pacific islands and in Alaska were able to see at least a partial eclipse. If you missed it, no worries: our gallery of images from around the world give you the best seat in the house.
