Photos: Alaska's view of solar eclipse May 20, 2012

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The May 20, 2012 eclipse as seen through a piece of x-ray film in Homer, Alaska.

Though a good portion of Alaska was covered in clouds on May 20, 2012, it didn't stop a few intrepid Alaskans from submitting photos of the annular "ring of fire" eclipse that trekked its way across a good portion the northern hemisphere.

Starting in Asia, the moon found its way in between the sun and Earth and traveled across into North America. The prime viewing of the eclipse was a line traveling across northern California and New Mexico, but Alaska was able to see the residual effects in the form of a partially blocked sun that lasted for more than two hours.

Alaskans from Homer to Fairbanks got creative when it came to capturing the eclipse on film -- one used a welder's mask, another used a sheet of x-ray film. Southcentral and Southeast Alaska, and much of the Aleutians, missed out on the show. Which is a bummer, since it was the first such eclipse in 18 years. There will be other annular eclipses in the coming years, but they will primarily only be viewable in the Earth's southern hemisphere, and then it's another long wait.

So if you missed out, now's the time to catch a glimpse -- even if it is through a welder's mask.