ENGLISH TOURIST WATCHES PROGRESS OF ECLIPSE, 2002-12-04 (photo)

Slasher Barritt, from Portsmouth, England watches the progress of the solar eclipse while a pin hole view of the eclipse is projected onto paper in Plumtree, 550 Km's south west of Harare December 4, 2002. Skies darkened over southern Africa and Australia on Wednesday as a rare total solar eclipse raced across both continents, delighting astronomers, astounding tourists and confusing animals as day became night. The eclipse first touched African shores at around 0515 GMT as the moon moved in between the sun and the earth, blocking out the summer sunshine. Starting from Angola, the lunar shadow sped eastward across the continent at speeds greater than 5,000 km (3,125 miles) per hour, momentarily casting parts of Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa into darkness before heading out to sea at Xai-Xai in Mozambique. The total eclipse touched southern Australia at 0910 GMT. REUTERS/Howard Burditt HB/