People in much of Asia and North America were dazzled on June 10 by a dramatic celestial event. The moon passed between the sun and the earth in an annular, or ring-shaped, eclipse, which lasted for about two hours. During an annular eclipse, the moon is farther away from the earth than during a total eclipse, leaving the sun visible as a halo of light around the moon. For those living along the western coast of North America and on islands in the South Pacific, the timing of the eclipse coincided with sunset, making it appear as though a ring of fire were setting into the ocean.