by Claire O'Neill and Heather Murphy

Millions across the world took to the streets early this morning to relish a rare sight: a total solar eclipse. The moon moved directly between the sun and the Earth for as long as 6 minutes and 39 seconds in some parts, making it the longest such event of the 21st century. And here's an even rarer sight: millions of people wearing dorky glasses.

  • The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century began in India just after dawn Wednesday. Here, Hindu holy men watch through specially designed viewing glasses in Allahabad, India.
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    The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century began in India just after dawn Wednesday. Here, Hindu holy men watch through specially designed viewing glasses in Allahabad, India.
    Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP
  • Children in Shanghai await the solar eclipse with special sunglasses.
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    Children in Shanghai await the solar eclipse with special sunglasses.
    Imaginechina via AP Images
  • Hindu devotees observe a solar eclipse through specially designed viewing glasses as they take holy dips in the Sangam river in Allahabad, India.
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    Hindu devotees observe a solar eclipse through specially designed viewing glasses as they take holy dips in the Sangam river in Allahabad, India.
    Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP
  • A villager looks at the sun through X-ray film in preparation for the eclipse in China's eastern Zhejiang province Tuesday.
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    A villager looks at the sun through X-ray film in preparation for the eclipse in China's eastern Zhejiang province Tuesday.
    Imaginechina via AP
  • A partial solar eclipse as visible from Karachi, Pakistan. Total eclipses happen about twice a year when the moon masses between the Earth and the sun.
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    A partial solar eclipse as visible from Karachi, Pakistan. Total eclipses happen about twice a year when the moon masses between the Earth and the sun.
    Rizwan Tabassum/AFP/Getty
  • Indian schoolchildren hold up protective eye goggles to view a solar eclipse over New Delhi on Wednesday. Only a partial eclipse was visible from the Indian capital.
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    Indian schoolchildren hold up protective eye goggles to view a solar eclipse over New Delhi on Wednesday. Only a partial eclipse was visible from the Indian capital.
    Tengku Bahar/AFP/Getty Images
  • Dozens gather to watch the eclipse in Siliguri in northeast India.
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    Dozens gather to watch the eclipse in Siliguri in northeast India.
    Diptendu Dutta/AFP/Getty Images
  • Villagers in the town of Varanasi, on the banks of the Ganges in India, got one of the best views.
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    Villagers in the town of Varanasi, on the banks of the Ganges in India, got one of the best views.
    Pedro Ugarte/AFP/Getty Images
  • An Indian man gazes up from the village of Taregna.
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    An Indian man gazes up from the village of Taregna.
    Deshakalyan Chowdhury/AFP/Getty Images
  • The beginning of the eclipse as seen in Sipajhar, India. This eclipse lasted more than six minutes in some places.
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    The beginning of the eclipse as seen in Sipajhar, India. This eclipse lasted more than six minutes in some places.
    Anupam Nath/AP
  • An Indian police officer watches the partial solar eclipse through solar viewing goggles in New Delhi.
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    An Indian police officer watches the partial solar eclipse through solar viewing goggles in New Delhi.
    Prakash Singh/AFP/GEtty Images
  • A dog looks through a pair of special glasses in Kunming in southwest China.
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    A dog looks through a pair of special glasses in Kunming in southwest China.
    Imaginechina via AP Images
  • Indian villagers in Taregna.
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    Indian villagers in Taregna.
    Deshakalyan Chowdhury/AFP/Getty Images
  • A Chinese woman reaches for the sky as she looks at a partial solar eclipse outside the planetarium in Beijing.
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    A Chinese woman reaches for the sky as she looks at a partial solar eclipse outside the planetarium in Beijing.
    Elizabeth Dalziel/AP
  • The sun emerges after a total solar eclipse as seen in Varanasi, India.
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    The sun emerges after a total solar eclipse as seen in Varanasi, India.
    Saurabh Das/AP

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Starting off in India just after dawn, the eclipse was visible throughout parts of Asia before moving over southern Japan and then into the Pacific Ocean. From Hawaii to South America, young and old gathered with their special viewing devices, watching in wonder as the sky turned black. Dogs barked, people cried, cows acted strangely.

Meanwhile, photographers from across the globe gave up their own precious viewing moments and snapped away. Check it out. There won't be a longer eclipse until 2132.

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Pedro Ugarte/AFP/Getty Images

The eclipse as seen in the Indian city of Varanasi on Wednesday.

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