SYDNEY (AP) — The moon glided between the Earth and sun, blocking everything but a dazzling ring of light, for the few skygazers lucky enough to see today’s “ring of fire” eclipse in northern Australia and the South Pacific.

The celestial spectacle is the second solar eclipse visible from northern Australia in six months. In November, a total solar eclipse plunged the country’s northeast into darkness, delighting astronomers and tourists who flocked to the region from across the globe to witness it.

An annular eclipse is not considered as scientifically important or dramatic as a total eclipse. The moon is farther from Earth and cannot completely black out the sun, so instead of seeming to turn day into night, an annular eclipse just dims the sunlight.

“A total eclipse is overall far more spectacular, far more emotional,” said Andrew Jacob, an astronomer at Sydney Observatory. Still, he said, today’s eclipse “will give you a nice ring of sunlight in the sky — it will be quite different.”