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A SOLAR ECLIPSE saw a partial or totally blocked view of the sun visible in parts of the world today.

The rare event saw the moon block the sun either partially or altogether and was visible in the southern US before drifting across the Atlantic and the African continent.

Nigerian men wear welding goggles to watch a partial solar eclipse in Lagos, Nigeria

In Gabon, residents in the south of the country got a glimpse of a total eclipse of the sun.

“I saw a black disc progressively cover the sun. It’s magnificent,” Clarence Diledou, who lives of the port town of Port-Gentil, told AFP. “But unfortunately the bad weather spoiled the party a bit.”

At its peak over land in central Gabon, the sun was blocked out for about a minute.

Weather permitting, partial phases of the eclipse were also visible in southern Europe and in the eastern United States.

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg of Germany steers his car during the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix as the moon crosses in front of the sun in the background.

NASA said that the greatest eclipse occurred over the Atlantic.

One of the best views was also found in Kenya where the total phase of the solar eclipse was only visible for a few seconds.

In this photo a cloud layer partially obstructs a view of the moon passing in front of the sun in Nairobi:

All pictures: AP

PICS: Lunar eclipse visible from Ireland

In pictures: The Winter Solstice (Slideshow)

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