Crowds gather on the beaches of northern Australia on Tuesday in anticipation of a total solar eclipse that will begin early on Wednesday morning.<br/> <br />People have travelled here to Cairns in Queensland from around the world to witness the eclipse, which will completely block the Sun for about two minutes.<br/> <br />Fred Espenak from NASA's Goddard Space Center is full of excitement.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION'S GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER ASTROPHYSICIST FRED ESPENAK SAYING:<br/> <br />"It's the most spectacular natural phenomenon you can see with the naked eye. It's just beyond description."<br/> <br />But cloud cover could pose a major problem.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) UNNAMED ECLIPSE WATCHER SAYING:<br/> <br />"We've just driven 3,000 km for this weather and to see the eclipse. You can't pick your weather can you? You can pick your friends!"<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) ASTRONOMER JAY PASACHOFF SAYING:<br/> <br />"People have looked back at cloud statistics from weather satellites going back 20 years so we know it's a 50/50 or 60/40 chance. We're still hoping for good weather."<br/> <br />A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly between the Sun and the Earth.<br/> <br />It's expected to cast a shadow 95 miles wide over the northern tip of Australia before moving out into the Pacific Ocean where there is no land in its direct path.
