Stargazers and astronomers had the privilege of witnessing a stunning celestial occurrence – an annular solar eclipse.

This cosmic event could be observed in certain areas of the United States, Mexico, South America, and Central America, weather permitting. Residents of the United States were able to at least catch a glimpse of a partial eclipse if clouds cooperated.

An annular solar eclipse takes place when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, causing a significant reduction in sunlight but not a complete blackout. It is referred to as "annular" because a slender ring or annulus of light remains visible.

Dr. Nicola Fox, the associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, remarked, "An annular eclipse only occurs when the moon is at its farthest point from Earth. From the Earth's perspective, it doesn't fully obscure the sun's light, creating a mesmerizing ring of fire around the moon.

While total solar eclipses, which reveal the solar corona, often generate more excitement, witnessing an annular solar eclipse is a much rarer and thrilling experience."

The path of the annular solar eclipse on October 14 extended over a broad area. Those situated within the path of annularity were treated to the complete "ring of fire" effect, while those in nearby regions could expect to see a partial eclipse.

The annular solar eclipse commenced in Oregon at 09:13 local time (17:13 BST), then traversed through California, Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico, finally reaching Texas at 12:03 local time (18:03 BST). It was subsequently visible across Central and northern South America.

Skygazers were urged to protect their eyes if looking at the sun and use solar viewing glasses, rather than regular sunglasses, to preserve their vision.

"Do NOT look at the Sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while wearing eclipse glasses or using a handheld solar viewer - the concentrated solar rays will burn through the filter and cause serious eye injury," said Nasa.