Otherworldly partial eclipse dominates Darwin skies

Locals have been treated to stunning views after a partial eclipse lit up Darwin skies.

The eclipse, which began at 9.07am (AEDT 10.37am) and is set to conclude at 11.30am, reached its peak at 10.15am.

Residents have been pictured in a Darwin mall attempting to glimpse the eclipse with their naked eyes, risking damage to their retinas.

Thousands of kilometres away in Indonesia, an altered angle meant locals were able to witness a total eclipse.

Indonesians celebrated the occasion with parties, Muslim prayers and tribal rituals.

The full eclipse was reported to have begun at around 6.19am (AEDT 8.07am), moving in a broad arc across the archipelago.

An estimated 10,000 foreign visitors and 100,000 domestic tourists are believed to have witnessed the phenomenon.

The island nation marked the occasion with a dedicated festival featuring live bands, fun runs and traditional dances.

The last total solar eclipse occurred on March 20, 2015, and was only visible from the Faroe Islands and Norway's Arctic Svalbard archipelago.

Total eclipses occur when the moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, and the three bodies align precisely.

As seen from Earth, the moon is just broad enough to cover the solar face, creating a breathtaking silver halo in an indigo sky.

With AFP.