BBC NEWS
Updated 04 December 2002, 07.48
Total eclipse of sun in southern hemisphere
The only total solar eclipse of the sun in 2002 is happening in the southern part of the globe.
<IMG SRC="http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38548000/gif/_38548193_total_eclipse_map150.gif" ALIGN="LEFT"> Thousands of people have come out to see the sight of the moon passing over the sun and casting a dark shadow on the earth's surface.
People in countries like Africa and Australia are able to see the phenomenon.
20,000 people have turned up to the small farming town of Ceduna, south Australia - to see the rare and thrilling eclipse.
Dark as night
The town's on the edge of the great Southern Desert and will go completely dark for 33 seconds.
Animals often get confused in an eclipse as day seems to turn to night.
You can't look directly at the sun while it's happening: the rays visible on the sun's outer edge are still powerful enough to blind you.
SOURCE:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/world/newsid_2541000/2541733.stm