Mar 29, 2006, 18:26 GMT
Millions of people across half the globe were treated to the rare spectacle of a full or partial eclipse of the sun Wednesday, triggering a spectrum of responses ranging from fear to awe to religious emotion.
The sun eclipse is visible behind the cathedral of Tbilisi on Wednesday, 29 March 2006. EPA/ZURAB KURTSIKIDZE
As the moon moved in between planet Earth and the sun to block out the sun's rays, the eclipse moved from the eastern tip of Brazil, across the Atlantic Ocean, through western and northern Africa, parts of the Mediterranean and southern Europe, and finally to Mongolia.
In Nigeria, the celestial spectacle was met with shouts of 'Allah Akbar!' (God is greatest) as the four-minute eclipse turned daylight into darkness.
Many residents ran indoors before the eclipse started. Some did so for fear of looking at the phenomenon directly and damaging their eyes, while others did so in the belief that it was a satanic development. The eclipse was seen in 11 of Nigeria's 36 states.
Local residents in comments to Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa expressed beliefs that the eclipse was a religious event, God's way of warning Nigeria to turn away from sin. Other people spoke of the eclipse as being conjured by witches and wizards.
A Muslim cleric, Abu Thanni, said the eclipse was Allah's way of showing that he is 'omnipotent,' while a Christian pastor, Joseph Aku, quoted the Bible to buttress his view that the eclipse was a divine event.
Authorities were especially keeping a close eye on reactions in Nigeria. An eclipse in 1989 had led to rioting in the predominantly Muslim north as gangs burnt and looted homes and hotels to 'atone for the sins of infidels.'
To forestall a recurrence, police were deployed to strategic parts of the north with instructions to 'deter any troublemaker.'
In Ghana, the southern third of the country was plunged into darkness, with people shouting 'God is wonderful!' and lights automatically going on when the moon blotted out the sun's rays.
In the Mediterranean region, schools in Lebanon shut down as the country witnessed a partial eclipse, an event registered with excitement by many youngsters.
'It is the first time I've seen an eclipse,' said 12-year-old Joy Hadad. 'It is like there is a cloud over the city of Beirut.'
Tammy abou Haidar, another school-age youngster gathered to watch through a telescope added: 'Beirut looks foggy, I am so emotional ... I have something to tell my grandchildren.'
At the tiny Greek Agean island of Kastellorizo, yachts and shipping vessels blew their horns and whistles to greet the eclipse. More than 3,000 visitors and top scientists from around the world had gathered on the island, the only point in Europe where the eclipse was total.
As the island, located only a few kilometres from the Turkey's western coast, was plunged into darkness lasting about four minutes, temperatures dropped several degrees.
Meanwhile clear skies in Turkey provided perfect conditions for the viewing a total eclipse at the southern coastal town of Side.
Turkish witnesses to the celestial event were doing so with mixed emotions, recalling how, seven days after the last eclipse in Turkey on August 11, 1999, the region was hit by a massive earthquake leaving more than 18,000 people dead.
Scientists in recent days had sought to assure Turks that there was no connection between the solar eclipse and the earthquake, but there were still some newspaper reports that people had been leaving their homes in Istanbul for fear of an imminent earthquake.
The solar eclipse ended in Mongolia at 1146 GMT, with thousands of people in southern Russia and Siberia going outside to witness the phenomenon.
Among others, there was a team of scientists from seven countries which observed the plasma eruptions from the sun's corona from a vantage point on the Caucasus mountain of Terskol.
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