Live Coverage Of Rare 'Hybrid' A rare solar eclipse is expected to sweep across the globe, plunging parts of Africa, Europe and the US into darkness. The event is known as a "hybrid" eclipse because the extent to which the Sun will be blocked out will vary around the world. Towns and cities in equatorial Africa will see a total eclipse, lasting for up to a minute. Skywatchers in southern Europe, the Middle East, North America's east coast and the northern half of South America will see an "annular," or partial, eclipse. The total eclipse will be visible across large parts of Africa Jose Afonso, director of the Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Lisbon in Portugal, said: "Throughout your lifetime, if you're living in the same place, you'll perhaps see a total solar eclipse once or maybe twice. It's a very uncommon event for any place on Earth. Astronomers warned people not to look directly at the Sun without taking safety precautions. The eclipse can be viewed through binoculars or a telescope by projecting the Sun's disc onto a sheet of card or paper, or by using eclipse glasses which filter sunlight. :: Watch coverage of the solar eclipse above, courtesy of the online observatory Slooh, which is broadcasting the event live.