Thousands gather for momentous eclipse

Thousands of people across the UAE joined spectators across the world to watch the longest solar eclipse of the millennium. The Sun was almost totally obscured - at 11.06am local time over the Indian Ocean, where the eclipse lasted 11 minutes, eight seconds. There will not be another solar eclipse that long until December 23, 3043, an astronomer said.

The eclipse was visible on a 300km track that traverses central Africa, the Indian Ocean and eastern Asia, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) in Houston. In Abu Dhabi, hundreds congregated on the Corniche to view the eclipse through a 7 inch Meade telescope set up by the Emirates Heritage Club's Amateur Astronomy Club. Similarly, the Dubai Astronomy Group set up camp at the New World Private School in Tawar.

Bettina Sargent, who was rollerblading on the Corniche described the even as "incredible". "We read about it in the paper yesterday," Mrs Sargent said. "It's very nice, but I don't know if everybody here knew about it." "Maybe this is a once in a lifetime experience. I don't know when this will happen again" said Arvin Penaojas, 28 who also came to witness the event. [e-mail]