A rare "ring of fire" eclipse captivated millions around the world Sunday.

The moon covered about 96 percent of the sun, creating the "ring of fire" phenomenon.

The eclipse was seen throughout Asia and the western United States.

Las Vegas resident Xavier Merizalde passed out dark glasses to his neighbors for the event.

"I told them it's an oddity. It's not something they're going to see every year. And it's kind of just neat that it's going to fly over Nevada. I thought it would be a great experience for the family," he told ABC News.
 
''I was excited," resident Robert O'Leary said. "My wife thinks I'm a dork. That's why she's at home, but was I excited."

The event lasted for about three and a half hours, but the "ring of fire" could only be seen for five minutes.

The last time this type of eclipse occurred was 12 years ago. The next one will take place in 2017.