Sky gazers in northern Australia and the South Pacific witnessed a remarkable annular solar eclipse on Friday 10 May. In an annular solar eclipse, the moon does not completely block the sun but leaves a fiery ring around its edges. The eclipse lasted between three and six minutes, depending where it was viewed from.

"For the three of us here this was our first solar eclipse, we have done many lunar eclipses, but this was just spectacular!" Michael Johnson of Columbus State University's Coca-Cola Space Science Center told Space.com, "During the maximum eclipse it was hard not to just stare at the sun."

Eclipse expert Jay Pasachoff travelled from Williams College in Massachusetts to Australia to view his 57th solar eclipse. He drove to a remote hill in the Outback about 30 miles north of the Northern Territory town of Tennant Creek.

"We can report good success in observing 4 minutes and 20 seconds of full annularity at the eclipse today," he said, "Much of the eclipse was viewed through thin clouds, though rarely after the first few minutes was the sun obscured."

The last partial lunar eclipse took place on 25 April. This year will witness a total of five eclipses - three lunar and two solar eclipses. The pictures of the solar eclipse were also shared on social networking sites by astronomers.

Scroll down to see the stunning pictures of the annular solar eclipse...

Annular solar eclipse at Australia
Annular solar eclipse at Australia Twitter/@zadhli
Annular Solar Eclipse of May 10, 2013, Australia.
Annular Solar Eclipse of May 10, 2013, Australia. Twitter/@Pharaoness
Annular Solar Eclipse of May 10, 2013, Australia.
Annular Solar Eclipse of May 10, 2013, Australia. Twitter/@SStargazers
Annular Solar Eclipse of May 10, 2013, Australia.
Annular Solar Eclipse of May 10, 2013, Australia. Twitter/@jmrozada
May 10 2013 Annular Ring of Fire Solar Eclipse Grandmother moons next Nov 3rd solar eclipse will be a hybrid
May 10 2013 #Annular "Ring of Fire" #Solar #Eclipse: #Grandmother #moon's next Nov 3rd solar eclipse will be a hybrid Twitter/MohawkWorkers
Annular Solar Eclipse of May 10, 2013, Australia.
Annular Solar Eclipse of May 10, 2013, Australia. Twitter/@nbcaaron
The annular solar eclipse can be seen through the viewfinder of a telescope positioned atop Observatory Hill in Sydney May 10, 2013.
The annular solar eclipse can be seen through the viewfinder of a telescope positioned atop Observatory Hill in Sydney May 10, 2013. Reuters
A woman adjusts a telescope showing on a screen the annular solar eclipse from atop Observatory Hill in Sydney May 10, 2013.
A woman adjusts a telescope showing on a screen the annular solar eclipse from atop Observatory Hill in Sydney May 10, 2013. Reuters
Women wearing protective glasses sit near another woman looking through a telescope at the annular solar eclipse from atop Observatory Hill in Sydney May 10, 2013.
Women wearing protective glasses sit near another woman looking through a telescope at the annular solar eclipse from atop Observatory Hill in Sydney May 10, 2013. Reuters
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