Australian sky-gazers in awe of total eclipse
Purchase this article for republication
Buy SPH photos-
Tourists look at a cloudy sky as a full solar eclipse begins in the northern Australian city of Cairns Nov 14, 2012.-- PHOTO: REUTERS
-
A woman wears special glasses to view the solar eclipse from the beach at Palm Cove in Australia's Tropical North Queensland on Nov 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
-
Tourists take photographs of a cloudy sky during a full solar eclipse in the northern Australian city of Cairns on Nov 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
-
The Diamond Ring effect is shown following totality of the solar eclipse at Palm Cove in Australia's Tropical North Queensland on Nov 14, 2012. Sky-gazers in northern Australia donned protective glasses as the clouds parted on Wednesday to allow them to witness one of nature's greatest phenomena - a total eclipse of the sun. -- PHOTO: AFP
-
Tourists watch as the moon blocks the sun as it approaches a full solar eclipse in the northern Australian city of Cairns on Nov 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
-
Totality is shown during the solar eclipse at Palm Cove in Australia's Tropical North Queensland on Nov 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
-
Clouds obscure the moon passing in front of the sun as it approaches a full solar eclipse in the northern Australian city of Cairns on Nov 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
-
A tourist watches as the moon passing in front of the sun as it approaches a full solar eclipse in the northern Australian city of Cairns on Nov 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Tourists look at a cloudy sky as a full solar eclipse begins in the northern Australian city of Cairns Nov 14, 2012.-- PHOTO: REUTERS
A woman wears special glasses to view the solar eclipse from the beach at Palm Cove in Australia's Tropical North Queensland on Nov 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Tourists take photographs of a cloudy sky during a full solar eclipse in the northern Australian city of Cairns on Nov 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
The Diamond Ring effect is shown following totality of the solar eclipse at Palm Cove in Australia's Tropical North Queensland on Nov 14, 2012. Sky-gazers in northern Australia donned protective glasses as the clouds parted on Wednesday to allow them to witness one of nature's greatest phenomena - a total eclipse of the sun. -- PHOTO: AFP
Tourists watch as the moon blocks the sun as it approaches a full solar eclipse in the northern Australian city of Cairns on Nov 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Totality is shown during the solar eclipse at Palm Cove in Australia's Tropical North Queensland on Nov 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Clouds obscure the moon passing in front of the sun as it approaches a full solar eclipse in the northern Australian city of Cairns on Nov 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
A tourist watches as the moon passing in front of the sun as it approaches a full solar eclipse in the northern Australian city of Cairns on Nov 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
PALM COVE, Australia (AFP) - Sky-gazers in northern Australia donned protective glasses as the clouds parted on Wednesday to allow them to witness one of nature's greatest phenomena - a total eclipse of the sun.
All eyes and cameras turned to the heavens over tropical north Queensland as the moon began moving between the Earth and the sun, like a small bite which gradually increases in size.
Cloud cover threatened to spoil the party and huge cheers erupted when they parted to give tens of thousands of eclipse hunters a perfect view of totality - when the moon completely covers the sun and a faint halo or corona appears.
"Wow, insects and birds gone quiet," one tourist, Mr Geoff Scott, tweeted.
