Parts of world get a stunning solar show

French children watch a solar eclipse yesterday in the southern French town of Marseille. The moon blotted out the sun, turning day into night, in a total solar eclipse that carved a path from the tip of Brazil over northern Africa to the steppes of Mongolia. PHOTO: AFP

As the heavens and Earth moved into rare alignment, all that could be seen of the sun were the rays of its corona the usually invisible extended atmosphere of the sun that glowed a dull yellow for about three minutes, barely illuminating the west African nation.

Automatic street lights flickered on, authorities sounded whistles and schoolchildren burst into applause across Ghana's capital, Accra. Many in the deeply religious country of Christians and Muslims said the phenomenon bolstered their faith.

"I believe it's a wonderful work of God, despite all what the scientists say," said Solomon Pomenya, a 52-year old doctor. "This tells me that God is a true engineer."

The last such eclipse in November 2003 was best viewed from Antarctica, said Alex Young, a Nasa scientist involved in solar research.

In Turkey's Mediterranean town of Side, hundreds of people streamed down a main street, some carrying tripods, to an ancient Greek temple dedicated to Apollo, as market sellers hawked T-shirts and protective glasses.

Joaquim Boix travelled from Barcelona, Spain, to view the eclipse. He said he became addicted to eclipses after seeing one in Germany.

"It's fantastic," Boix said. "It's the colour, the metallic blue-green colour on the skin of the people. The sky with the stars in the background. Usually you watch the stars in a black background ... The background is blue. It's a special feeling.