Solar eclipse pictures: ‘Ring of Fire’ blocks the Sun in UK and US and leads to stunning images

A annular eclipse is seen as the sun rises over Scituate, Massachusetts (AFP via Getty Images)

A “ring of fire” has appeared in the skies over Europe and the US – and been captured in stunning new images.

The pictures show the crescent Sun that appeared as the Moon moved in front of it and blocked its light.

The event was an annular solar eclipse, meaning that the arrangement and the Sun and Moon was never enough to fully block out the light, as in a total eclipse. Instead, it leaves a blazing ring around the outside of the Moon, as the light from the Sun creeps out.

In most places that got to see it, however, the Sun was never that fully eclipsed. Instead, the Moon moved only partly over the Sun, leaving a piece missing like a half-eaten cookie.

That nonetheless made for stunning images as the eclipse appeared over some of the world’s biggest cities and most famous landmarks:

The sun rises partially eclipsed in this view taken from behind a window (hence the doubling effect) of Summit One Vanderbilt, a high rise in New York City (AFP via Getty Images)

The partial eclipse, in Brussels (BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)

Sun rise over Scituate Light, Scituate, Massachusetts (AFP via Getty Images)

The Crimea and Indian Mutiny memorial outside Westminster Abbey (Getty Images)

The eclipse is seen as the sun rises over Scituate, Massachusetts (AFP via Getty Images)

The partial solar eclipse is seen as the sun rises to the left of the United States Capitol building (NASA via Getty Images)

The sun rises behind the Statue of Freedom on top of the United States Capitol Building (NASA via Getty Images)

The eclipsed sun rises over Tobermory in Ontario, Canada (AFP via Getty Images)

The partial eclipse over the Houses of Parliament (Getty Images)

The sun rises partially eclipsed in a view taken from Summit One Vanderbilt (AFP via Getty Images)