Millions in awe at heavenly harmony

Thousands of Irish eclipse-watchers joined sky-gazers around the world yesterday in viewing the last great solar spectacular of the millennium.

The world didn't come to an end but work did stop temporarily, as people flooded out of homes and offices to witness the moon eclipse the sun. Temperatures dropped by up to 2 Celsius in Ireland and the sky noticeably darkened.

But that was nothing compared to the Romanian town of Rimnicu Vilcea, which was cast into darkness for 2 minutes 27 seconds as the moon's axis passed closest to earth, making it the point of greatest eclipse. Like many places in Europe, cloud spoiled the view.

In Stuttgart, Germany's self-declared "eclipse capital", half a million people were left staring at a dense rain cloud, preventing any view of the phenomenon. Rain also fell on the million people who gathered in Cornwall, where for some the clouds parted at the vital moment.

There were similar mixed fortunes throughout the country with thick cloud and 5 mm of rain in one hour in Cork, compared to blazing sunshine and blue skies in parts of Dublin.

A spokesman for Met Eireann said the capital was "steeped in luck" yesterday as a band of rain moving north-west broke in two, giving south Leinster and Ulster the worst of the weather.

Shortly after 11 a.m., as the eclipse reached its limit (ranging from 85 per cent over Belfast to 98 per cent over Mizen Head), cars stopped, telephones were left unanswered and people looked to the heavens. In five minutes, electricity demand fell by 3 1/2 per cent, the ESB reported.

Despite all the warnings, people did look directly at the sun, using devices ranging from eclipse sunglasses to the back of their hands.

Dublin's Eye and Ear Hospital received up to 40 phone calls last night from people fearful that damage may have been caused to their eyes. At least five people were examined, two of whom are to return today for further tests.

However, no major injuries have been identified, said Prof Louis Collum, a hospital consultant and president of the College of Ophthalmologists. "If there is anything serious it may take a day or two to show up," he said, adding that anyone with any visual symptoms should contact their GP or eye doctor.

Speeding along at over 1,700 m.p.h. the total eclipse travelled 8,060 miles in just over 3 1/2 hours from an area just off Canada's east coast to the Bay of Bengal.

The sudden onset of darkness disorientated animals with one wildlife centre in Cornwall treated to a dawn chorus in the middle of the day by 600 confused birds. Flamingos stood on one leg and ducks stuck their heads in their feathers as the sky went black.

In the Middle East, Muslim clergymen called the faithful to special prayers. In Syria and Jordan, where public holidays were declared, residents heeded warnings to stay inside to watch the eclipse on television.

In India, more than 400,000 Hindu worshippers descended on Haryana's Kurukshtra region, north of New Delhi, for a bath in the sacred lakes of Sannihet and Brahm.

A total eclipse occurs somewhere in the world about every 18 months. The next total eclipse to pass over Ireland will be in 2090. and Dublin 2600.