The sun and moon have aligned over the earth in a rare astronomical event. An annular eclipse has dimmed the skies over parts of Asia and North America, briefly turning the sun into what looks like a blazing ring of fire.

Beginning just after 6 a-m Beijing time, people in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Hainan province were the first to observe the complete process, followed by Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces.

Early risers in southern China, northern Taiwan Island and southeastern Japan got the best view. The annular eclipse then moved across the Pacific, with the western U.S. viewing the tail end. Traveling on diagonal path toward the southeast, the eclipse crossed over parts of Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, before disappearing in Texas with the sunset.

From start to finish, the eclipse followed a narrow 13,700-kilometer path, and it was visible for just under two hours. A view of the spectacle at the eclipse’s peak only lasted about four minutes.

An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon slides across the sun, blocking all but a blazing halo of light.

The next annular solar eclipse won’t be seen in China until 2020.

The last time this type of eclipse was seen in the US was in 1994, with the next one predicted for 2023.