A rare solar eclipse will sweep across parts of Africa, Europe and the United States on Sunday as the moon blocks the sun either fully or partially, depending on the location. The round shape of the Earth explains why some viewers in west Africa will see a total eclipse, while others in the United States and Europe will only see the sun partly obscured.

Regardless, experts said people should not look directly at the sun during the unusual hybrid eclipse unless they use special welder’s glass or view it indirectly with a pinhole filter. Regular sunglasses will not protect the eyes enough.

The greatest part of the eclipse will take place at 1237 GMT over the Atlantic Ocean, some 330 kilometers southwest of Liberia, according to a NASA website that tracks eclipses.

The west African nation of Gabon will get peak viewing of the total eclipse as it sweeps over a path nearly 60 kilometers wide.

At its peak over land in central Gabon around 1350 GMT, the sun will be blocked out for about one minute. (AFP)