PICTURED: Rare solar eclipse visible in America, Europe and Africa TODAY

The rare hybrid solar eclipse through clouds from the Canary Island of Tenerife [GETTY]

The eclipse, which will allow a view of the Sun that is totally or partially blocked by the moon, was visible in the US first.
The best view of the total eclipse on land is expected to be in Gabon at 13.50 GMT.
The eclipse then sweeps east across Africa and a partial view will also be seen from southern Europe.

A partial Solar eclipse is seen just after sunrise over the Queens borough of New York [GETTY]

A Kuwaiti man makes the outline of a heart with his fingers to encompass a partially solar eclipse [GETTY]

The moon covers part of the sun in the eclipse viewed over Tenerife [GETTY]

The eclipse was seen in Tenerife where the width of the shadow was 58 km and the maximum duration of totality, the maximum time that the moon covered the sun completely, was 1m 40s, on the Spanish Canary island of Tenerife
Nasa confirmed: "The eclipse event was due to begin about 1,000km (620 miles) east of Jacksonville, Florida with an annular eclipse visible for four seconds at sunrise (11:05 GMT)."

Men and women from the Turkana tribe in Africa prepare the celebrate the eclipse [GETTY]

A partial solar eclipse, with the moon passing between the earth and the sun in Israel [EPA]

"The eclipse will then continue across Africa through the Congos until it passes through northern Uganda and northern Kenya, ending in southern Ethiopia and Somalia," said the International Astronomical Union.
This eclipse is particularly rare in that is it a 'hybrid' which switches between an annular and total eclipse.
Experts have warned that under no circumstances should you view the Sun with the naked eye.

Partial Solar Eclipse takes place in Nairobi, Kenya [AP]