Today's most popular tourist attraction might have been Russia who has managed to lure people in visiting some of its cities thanks to a rather rare astronomical event: the total eclipse of the Sun. However, some people were disappointed because the the clouds that covered the sky in some locations didn't permit them to fully taste the splendor of the event.

A total solar eclipse takes place at an interval of usually 18 month and is caused by the moon passing in front of the Sun, thus blocking its light. As we all know it, this causes the day to turn into night for several minutes. The astronomical phenomenon has been observed by people for thousands of years and has stimulated the imagination of common people as well as that of poets and philosophers.

Every time a solar eclipse takes place, it is not visible for people living in 50 percent of the world. For most of the others, the eclipse looks like a partial one, while very few get to see it in all its splendor. It is considered that a total eclipse of the Sun can be viewed every 375 years by people living in a given location.

The total eclipse that took place today started in Northern Canada and then passed through Greenland, reached its peak in Western Siberia and then continued through Mongolia and China. The next total solar eclipse will occur next year on the 22nd of July and will again pass through China.

When watching a solar eclipse, people are instructed to wear special sunglasses as to avoid burning their eyes.