July 22, 2009—See what you probably couldn't view earlier today, unless you were in Asia: The longest total solar eclipse of the entire 21st century. Other eclipses may be longer, but none will see the sun totally eclipsed for so long. Video.

© 2009 National Geographic (AP)

Unedited Transcript

The longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century put most of Asia, from India to China, into darkness on Wednesday, as millions gathered to watch the once in a lifetime phenomenon.

The eclipse began at about midnight Greenwich Mean Time and was first seen in eastern India.

Thick clouds over India obscured the sun when the eclipse began at dawn.

But the clouds parted in several cities just minutes before the total eclipse took place at close to 1 AM GMT.

Large crowds gathered on the banks of the Ganges River in India to offer prayers during the eclipse.

SOUNDBITE (English): Nityanand Muni, tourist: "It's very powerful to have night in the middle of the day. One thing interesting was when you looked up there was a star a bright star in the sky. So it was as dark as night, you could see the stars in the sky."

India abounds in superstitions and fables based on Hindu mythology, one of which says an eclipse is caused when a dragon-demon swallows the sun.

However, thousands of Hindus also took a dip in the river in keeping with the ancient belief that bathing in the river at the Indian city of Varanasi, especially on special occasions, cleanses ones sins.

Eclipse watchers in Delhi were offered a unique opportunity to view the total solar eclipse from an eclipse flight.

SOUNDBITE (Hindi): Ved Prakash Bhamba, Passenger on Eclipse Flight: "We saw the sun from above. We were looking down at the sun. As the moon moved to cover the sun, its shadow was casting darkness on the earth. When it completely covered the sun, there was total darkness. The atmosphere changed... it was like an impending storm. The clouds also turned black. So, for a few minutes the spectacle was incredible."

The flight offered the most unobstructed view of the various stages of the total solar eclipse.

SOUNDBITE (English): Shreya Sahai, Passenger on Eclipse Flight: "It was really nice. I saw the whole thing. I saw bit by bit, it was like someone biting an apple... a small orange."

Jubilant watchers in China set off fireworks as skies darkened overhead for 5 and a half minutes.

Heavy clouds in the area blocked the full eclipse from view, but watchers were able to see some of the solar phenomenon.

SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) Wang Ying, Assistant Director of the Beijing Planetarium: "Such heavy fog - and thick clouds too! I told myself, 'Oh no! We can't see the eclipse today.' I didn't expect the sun to peep out like that, smiling at me. However, it came out only after the peak of the eclipse had passed. Still, we were fortunate to have witnessed at least a part of it."

Spectators at Beijings Planetarium took turns peering at the sun through special filters and telescopes to view the eclipse.

Wednesdays eclipse is the longest such eclipse since July 11, 1991, when a total solar eclipse, lasting nearly 7 minutes, was visible from Hawaii to South America.

Astronomers are hoping Wednesdays unique event will help unlock clues about the sun.

The solar event was an opportunity for a prolonged view of the suns corona, a white ring that extends more than one million kilometers from its surface.

Scientists predict that there will not be a longer eclipse than Wednesdays total solar eclipse until the year 2132.