Solar eclipse at Novosibirsk, Russia. Near the beginning and the end of a total solar eclipse, the thin slice of the Sun appears broken up into beads of light. These lights are called 'Baily's Beads' after the British astronomer Francis Baily who discovered them. They occur because the edge of the Moon is not smooth but jagged with mountain peaks.
Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi, Bresser Skylux 70mm, 01/08/2008 17:44 UT+7, Shutter Speed 1/2500, Aperture Value 10.0, ISO 200