On April 20, 2023, a rare solar eclipse occurred, visible in only a few parts of the world. One of the best places to observe this event was the small, remote Australian town of Exmouth, located on the North West Cape, about 1,200 kilometres (745 miles) north of Perth. The town usually has a population of under 3,000 people, but the eclipse attracted over 20,000 people, including tourists and scientists from around the globe.
The eclipse began at 11:27 local time (04:27 BST) and lasted for about 60 seconds. During this time, the moon blocked the sun’s rays, casting the town into darkness. The stars and planets became visible, and the temperature dropped by around 10 degrees Celsius. The eclipse ended at 11:37 local time (04:37 BST) when the sun re-emerged, and the sky brightened once again.
Exmouth’s remote location and clear skies made it a perfect viewing location for this rare hybrid solar eclipse, which occurs when the moon is not quite close enough to the Earth to completely block out the sun. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for those who witnessed the event, and it put Exmouth on the map as a tourist destination for future celestial events.