![As many waited in anticipation to witness the "ring of fire," it was the show leading up to the spectacle that created the drama ~](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/8b/89/8b89458f0e625fef029339ec67a3152f.jpg?itok=Dz_mII2k "As many waited in anticipation to witness the "ring of fire," it was the show leading up to the spectacle that created the drama ~")
On Sunday, May 20, 2012, many of those who live in Los Angeles and throughout the southwestern chunk of the United States got a chance to see a once-in-a-lifetime show when the new moon passed between Earth and the sun, eclipsing the giant star by as much as 85%.
But it was clearly the astronomical drama leading up to the so-called "ring of fire" that caused stargazers to bite their nails from time to time as they wondered whether Mother Nature would have the nerve to obscure their view of an event that will not happen again in this neck of the woods until August 21, 2017.
About 40 minutes prior to the magnificent creation of the annulus eclipse, a parade of dancing cloud formations marched across the horizon near sunset, presenting an eerily beautiful spectacle.
This image was captured by News Archives International, via stargazersonline - a program that bills itself as the world's only weekly television series that focuses on naked-eye astronomy.
Since watching the solar eclipse was harmful to the eye without proper protection, Star Gazers broadcast the event live on Ustream, an online platform for live video streaming and lifecasting.
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