About 20,000 eclipse chasers have witnessed a rare solar eclipse plunge part of Australia’s northwest coast into brief midday darkness under a cloudless sky. The tourist town of Exmouth was promoted as one of Australia's best vantage points to see the eclipse that also crossed parts of Indonesia and East Timor. Thursday's phenomenon even caused a temperature drop that cooled the town's tropical heat. NASA astronomer Henry Throop was among those at Exmouth cheering loudly in the darkness. He said: “It was mind-blowing. It was so sharp and it was so bright.” In Indonesia’s capital, hundreds came to the Jakarta Planetarium to see the partial eclipse that was obscured by clouds.