On 4 December 2021, a total solar eclipse dazzled a few thousand lucky people in Antarctica and countless penguins, who got to witness nearly 2 minutes of totality as the Moon blotted out the Sun's light.

During a total solar eclipse, the Sun, Moon and Earth line up (in that order), allowing the Moon to block the Sun's rays from reaching part of Earth. In this case, that swath of Earth was Antarctica: the land of glaciers and penguins.

Many of the below photos are from photographers aboard Lindblad Expeditions' two polar passenger vessels, the National Geographic Resolution and the National Geographic Endurance.

Those aboard the vessels saw the partial solar eclipse begin at 2 am EST (0700 GMT), totality occur at 2:44 am EST (0744 GMT), and the partial eclipse end at 3:06 am (0806 GMT), according to NASA.

Ring of orange fire around the black sphere of the silhouetted moon.One minute and 54 seconds of totality. (Andrew Studer)

The next total solar eclipse – happening in about 18 months on 20 April 2023 – will pass over parts of Southeast Asia and Australia, according to timeanddate.com, meaning a lot more people will get to see the celestial show.

Related: Photos: 2017 Great American Solar Eclipse

Rising above the horizon

Partial crescent of white light peaks up from ocean horizon in red sky.(Andrew Studer)

A crescent sun rises over the Antarctic horizon during the solar eclipse on Dec. 4, 2021.

A "bite" of the Sun

Crescent of white light, beneath fiery clouds in red sky over the sea.(Andrew Studer)

The Sun looks like a crescent as part of the Moon's dark umbral shadow takes a "bite" out of it on 4 December 2021. The best places to see this solar eclipse were Antarctica and its surrounding waters, as well as parts of Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and South Africa.

Large crescent of white light touching sea in red sky.(Andrew Studer)

"On this eclipse, the Sun is gonna rise above the horizon and it will be like a smile looking at you because it will be a crescent sun," meteorologist Jay Anderson, said in a video produced by Lindblad Expeditions.

Sunlight oozes out from one side of sun blocking moon in red sky.(Andrew Studer)

The Sun peeps out during the solar eclipse on 4 December, 2021.

Diamond ring

Black skies with ring of orange light brighter on one side.(Maya Santangelo/Lindblad Expeditions)

The so-called diamond ring effect occurs as the Moon's shadow continues to pass over the Sun, as seen from Antarctica on 4 December 2021.

Ring of orange fire around the black sphere of the silhouetted moon.(Maya Santangelo/Lindblad Expeditions)

During totality, seen here from the 4 December 2021 solar eclipse, you can look directly at the Sun without injuring your eyes. The Sun's superheated corona layer is visible around the eclipse.

Penguins everywhere

Crowd of white chested adult and brown fluffy baby penguins filling whole frame.(Lindblad Expeditions)

A whole lot of penguins in Antarctica saw the total solar eclipse.

Union Glacier camp

Three people with equipment and tent in front of mountain and eclipsing moon in dark blue sky.(Felipe Trueba/Imagen Chile/AFP/Getty Images)

Chilean and US scientists look at a solar eclipse from the Union Glacier in Antarctica on Dec, 4, 2021.

Editor's note: Updated at 12:01 pm EST on December 7 to clarify that it was the Moon itself and not its shadow that blocked the Sun's light.

This article was originally published by Live Science. Read the original article here.